Alone Under the Sea
by NJL97
Summary: Em is a Little Sister in the corrupt undersea city of Rapture, but when her Big Daddy dies, she is left to fend for herself against Adam-hungry Splicers and the lethal Big Sisters. I do not own Bioshock or Bioshock 2, unfortunately, and this work is intended for entertainment purposes only. As of 7/9/13, this story is complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One **

_One second everything had been perfect. The next was total chaos. She had been riding along quietly on Mr. Bubble's shoulder, just like always. It had been the normal routine: She helped Mr. Bubbles find the Adam, and he protected her. It was supposed to be a simple process, really, but nothing was ever simple in Rapture. _

_ It was just the same as the time before. The small child was seated on one shoulder of the Bouncer, her dirty feet dangling over his rusty frame. In both hands she clutched her Adam hypo to her chest, not bothering to hold onto Daddy. She knew that he would always protect her, no matter what. All she had to do in return was gather the Adam from the Dead Angels. They weren't hard to find; all she had to do was follow the beautiful music._

_ The creature had come out of nowhere. It looked a bit like Daddy, but there was definitely something peculiar about it. It was thinner, more elite. The creature let out a piercing scream. She clamped her hands over her ears and whimpered. Daddy's eyes turned red, and he let out a warning roar. To her ears, it sounded like, "Stay away; or Daddy will be very angry!" But the creature did not stay away. It attacked, smashing into Mr. Bubbles and screeching. The small child knew the name of the creature through instinct. _

_ "Big Sister doesn't want you playing with me!" she warned Daddy. As always, he pretended not to listen. Using his charge attack, Mr. Bubbles knocked the Big Sister off her feet. She jumped back up and hurled herself at him. He hardly paused. "Unzip him Daddy, unzip him!" she cried, clutching onto him. The two beasts went back and forth, trying without success to kill each other. The little girl could feel Mr. Bubbles growing weak. "No one messes with MY Daddy!" the little girl cried bravely, but the Big Sister did not understand. _

_ All of a sudden, an electrical charge hit the Bouncer. In his rage, he went for the Big Sister, drilling right through her armor. With one final shriek, the creature toppled over. _

_ "Yay!" the little girl cried happily. Her Daddy did not join in on the victory cheer. He let out a groan and began to sway. The little girl peered down at him. "Daddy, what's wrong?" she asked. The creature moaned, and had just enough time to pluck the child off his shoulder and throw her to safety before his legs gave way and he fell. Never again would the Bouncer haunt the halls of the ruined city._

**Two Hours Later…**

The little girl opened her eyes. She had been sleeping for a long time. She was cold and wet. When she sat up, she found that she had been lying in a puddle. Her bloodstained, ripped dress was now soaked in salty sea water. A drop landed on her forehead. She looked up. _There is a leak in the ceiling; _she thought to herself, _I must remember to tell somebody. _The small child stood up, looking around.

"Daddy?" she called out tentatively, "It's okay; I'm alright." But there was no answer. She peered around anxiously, but all she could see was her Adam hypo and the corpse of a dead Bouncer. She bent down and picked up the hypo. She hugged it close to her, and drank a few precious drops of Adam to calm herself. She looked around, realizing that she was in the train station. She blinked, fighting back tears. Daddy would never leave her on her own in Rapture, never ever. Perhaps Stanley Poole was around. He would help her, she decided. As the girl made her way over to the booth, she stopped suddenly. There was something strange about the dead Bouncer. She blinked curiously. Usually corpses didn't stand out to her unless they contained Adam. She carefully tiptoed over to it.

"Hello?" she whispered, "Are you an Angel?" The Bouncer lay still, as though it were asleep. The little girl peered at the Bouncer, trembling slightly. She realized that there was indeed something rather strange about the Angel. It was familiar. _How can this be, _she thought skeptically, _I only know one Bouncer, and that's Mr. B… _

In that instant the Little Sister understood. The Bouncer looked familiar because it _was_ Mr. Bubbles. He had given his life to save her from the Big Sister. At first she did not believe that he was dead. "Mr. Bubbles, stop messing around. We have to go find the Adam, Mr. B." she said in a trembling voice. But the Bouncer lay still. "Daddy, please wake up!" she begged, close to tears. She knew he was dead. His body gave off the fumes of death, and since she was a genetically engineered Little Sister, she could smell them. She kneeled down by the body and began to cry.

The connection between the two of them being broken, the small child could access information that had been forgotten months before. She remembered that her name was Emily Brimfield, but that everyone called her Em. She remembered her mother laughing and her real father smiling. She remembered becoming a Little Sister. It was all too much to take in at once, and the little five-year old wrapped her arms around her knees and cried harder. She missed her Daddy; not the real one, but the Bouncer, who never talked but seemed to understand everything. She missed Dr. Tenenbaum, who had been like a mother to her. For the first time since she had been paired with Mr. B., Em felt truly hopeless.

**Should I continue? **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Em brushed the tears from her eyes and sniffled. Looking down into a puddle beside her, she could see that she was a mess. Her dark brown hair had come out of its ponytail, falling past her shoulders; her face was blotchy and red from crying. She stared at the reflection of her glowing yellow eyes. _They were blue once, _she remembered. But that did not matter anymore. That was in the past, and she had been told time and time again to leave the past behind, to move on and accept the new reality.

The fact that her connection with Mr. Bubbles had been broken, allowing her to access her memory, frightened her. She felt as though a part of her Sisterhood had been destroyed, and in a sense, it had.

She stood up clumsily, wiping dirt from her torn blue dress. She edged closer to the body of the dead Bouncer as the screams and shrieks of Splicers echoed through the Train Station. She huddled down near the Bouncer's arm and began to recite a familiar poem.

"_In the house of Upside-Down_

_Cellar's top floor, attic's ground_

_In the house of Upside-Down_

_Laughing cries and smiles frown_

_In the house of Upside-Down_

_Found is lost, and lost is found."_

Strangely, the sound of her own voice comforted her, as though her Daddy were still listening. She hid underneath the dead Bouncer's arm. She knew that her Daddy could still protect her. Em wrapped her arms around her small, trembling frame, not daring to move. After a while, she fell asleep.

A Splicer. Here. Not far away. It was talking to itself. The Little Sister sat incredibly still, scared to breathe. The sound of forced laughter shattered the still air. Em did not laugh. In Rapture, there was nothing to laugh about. Unless, of course… you were mad. A woman in a ripped dress was walking not far away. She was tall. She was dirty. She wore a masquerade mask. The woman was walking normally, as though Rapture hadn't fallen. As though she was not an Adam addict. Em squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that her Daddy could protect her one last time. After what seemed like hours, the crazed Splicer left. Em sighed in relief. She knew that she had to go. A small part of her mind that contained her Sister instincts told her to stay, to never leave her Daddy, but Em was smarter than that. She had to find a vent, and quickly. _Thank-you, Mr. Bubbles, _she thought gratefully. Em was going to miss her Daddy. She grabbed her Adam hypo and drank a few drops of her precious Adam before darting out from under Mr. Bubbles' arm. She scanned the area, spotting another woman walking through the station. Em did not wait to find out who she was. The small girl turned and fled in the opposite direction.

"Wait!" called a heavily accented voice. It was a familiar voice, one that Em had heard before. The Little Sister knew enough about Rapture; it was never safe to listen to anyone but Daddy. The small girl gasped for air as she ran, faster and faster. Her tiny feet scraped against the rough ground, leaving a thin trail of blood. The wounds began to heal almost as quickly as they had been received, thanks to her Sister DNA. Em ran farther and farther away from the lady, right past a brute Splicer. He did not care for her. He had been picking through the garbage. She ran right past a Rumbler, who was helping his Little Sister gather Adam. The pair hardly took notice of her. Em dashed past the Ticket Booth, where Stanley Poole sat, snoring on a cushioned chair, surrounded by canned food, fresh water, assorted weapons, and First-Aid kits.

"Wait, little one!" the voice called again, in desperation. Em could hear the woman closing in on her, as her shoes made a distinctive clicking sound as she ran through the city. _There! _A vent was positioned, not far ahead. The Little Sister made a beeline for it, disregarding the woman tailing her and the Spider Splicers she had attracted. Em could hear a gun going off. She imagined the Splicers becoming Angels, surrounded by rose petals.

"_Who watches over Sleeping Angels? I do, I do," _Em whispered. As she neared the vent, the Little Sister tossed her hypo through the opening. She latched onto the vent, hauling herself up as fast as she could. Adrenaline surged through her veins, pulling her up and into the safety of the vent. As she slipped into the darkness, a hand snatched the back of her dress. A wave a panic hit the small child, and she fought desperately against her captor. She struggled to grasp the inside of the tunnel, but it was smooth. She was dragged gently back out, the blue light of the city washing over her once again. Her captor set her down on the ground carefully, but had her arm in a firm grip. Em found herself staring eye to eye with Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum.

"Let go, let go!" she screamed, "DADDY!" She tugged as hard as she could, but the doctor was too strong.

"Hush child. We both know that your Daddy is no longer with us. He is an Angel, little one," Dr. Tenenbaum murmured. Em began to cry, the tears leaving tracks on her dirty face.

"Don't hurt me!" she wailed. The doctor brushed the hair out of Em's eyes.

"Little one, I would never harm you. It is my duty, my responsibility, and my sacrifice to rescue as many Sisters as I possibly can," Brigid replied calmly. Em relaxed. The doctor did not have the same crazed look as most of the Splicers, and the only weapon she carried was a small pistol. But still, she had said _rescue._

"No!" Em whimpered, "I don't want to be rescued!" _If she rescues me, I will forget about my Daddy. _

"It is alright; this will not hurt," Dr. Tenenbaum assured her, taking out a small red bottle. The force of grip on her arm lessoned. Em saw her chance, snatched her arm away, and bolted off.

"I will find you again, little one!" the doctor's voice rang through the abandoned Train Station.

**So, what do you think? Please review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

It was a terrible burden, to want revenge when there was none to be given. If there was no one to take anger out on, then it sat within you, boiling and steaming and threatening to explode. Em felt this way, sitting underneath a set of stairs, her glowing yellow eyes narrowed in hate. The Big Sister that had killed Mr. B. had also turned her back on the Rapture family. Even after the terrifying reign of Andrew Ryan, back before Em was even as thought, no Rapture-born creation had ever willingly betrayed the city, save for Subject Delta. Yet even he was not born under the tossing waves, like Jack Ryan had been. But Jack had been lied to by Atlas, who had truly been Frank Fontaine. He was under a type of hypnosis, and had killed his own father. He sought revenge on Fontaine, killing him, and returning to the surface, thus beginning the rule of Sofia Lamb. Lamb had created the family, uniting the citizens of Rapture, even the Adam-addicted crazies. Thanks to Delta, she was now dead as well. Em had heard these tales as nursery stories before her full transformation, and they were staring to make more sense in her head.

To Em, the end of the Rapture family was the end of everything. Now, only a few Daddies remained to protect the Little Sisters, and when they were killed by Splicers, there would be none to replace them. Thanks to Jack Ryan and Subject Delta, the Splicer population had plummeted considerably. No one was coming into the city and no one was being born. The few sane citizens, unaffected by Adam intake, hid in remote locations, stockpiling supplies and hoarding all the goods.

Although Em was not a full Little Sister anymore, she still felt that she had a duty to fulfill to her city. Her genetically engineered instincts still lay within her, leading her to Adam and letting her see Rapture not as a corrupt city damaged beyond repair, but a place for a new beginning. Any Big Sister, any Big Daddy, could turn rogue and threaten the already fragile environment of Rapture. Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum had proved that to her. To the small five-year old, too intelligent for her age, the answer could only be found in Adam. But for the Little Sister, Adam was scarce. She had tossed her hypo into a vent, and she was beginning to grow hungry and weak.

Trembling, the young girl stumbled out from her hiding place, planning to locate the nearest vent. Rescued Sisters would have left their full hypos behind, and for Em, this fact was her only hope. It would be nearly impossible for her small body to survive another hour without the precious substance.

By the time she reached a vent, her vision was beginning to blur. Her Sister Sight was beginning to fade, revealing mounds of beautiful rose petal to be puddles of blood. Angels turned to mangled, badly decomposed bodies, and the Big Daddies she had once viewed as saviors became badly spliced, tortured heaps of scrap medal. Em gasped, tumbling to the ground at the base of the vent. Beside her lay her salvation: a full hypo. With shaking hands, the child grasped the tool and brought the bottle end to her mouth, gulping greedily. The Adam was sweet and wonderful, but there was not much. The little girl lay there for a moment, gratefully clutching the hypo. _Thank-you, Daddy, _she thought, _you led me to the Adam this time, you naughty Angel. _

Em carefully rose to her feet, holding her new hypo with great care. She wiped the sweet substance from her lips, surveying the area. There were no Splicers present, and the only sounds were far-off screaming and the steady _drip drip _of the leaky city. Letting out a sigh of relief, Em turned around. This time, when she tossed her hypo into the vent, no one was following her. No one was there to take her away. She clutched the opening, climbing up the rest of the way clumsily with her feet. Once inside the vent, the Little Sister picked up the hypo in one arm and used the other to crawl through the darkness.

The only sound audible to Em was her own labored breathing. She had not been so far back in the vents since she had become a Little Sister, and her progress was painfully slow. At last, a dim light appeared, not far ahead. Still carrying the hypo, Em crawled towards it. Upon reaching the entrance, she found herself bathed in the soft, warm light of the Little Sister's Orphanage. She poked her head out, taking in her surroundings. It did not surprise her that she was not alone.

Little girls were everywhere, playing with toys, sleeping, arguing, and talking about… _the surface. _Talk of such a place had been strictly forbidden long ago. Taking a closer look, Em found that the girls were not Little Sisters at all. Their skin had a healthy glow to it, unlike Em's gray tone. Their eyes did not glow, but instead had a different kind of light- _life. _Em found herself shying away from them, not wanting to come out. But the sight of her glowing yellow eyes in the dark tunnel attracted the attention of the girls soon enough.

"Hey!" one girl called out, "Someone's hiding in the vent!" The little girl who had made the announcement looked nothing like Em. She wore a clean, white dress that fell past her knees, and her hair was tied up in a ponytail with a pretty ribbon. In one hand, she clutched a doll that greatly resembled a bouncer. _That must be all she has left of her Daddy, _Em thought sadly. Although she pitied the girls, she still backed deeper into the vent, frightened of them.

It did not take long for a small crowd of former Sisters to crowd around the vent, talking excitedly amongst themselves, not bothering to whisper.

"I'll bet that she hasn't been Rescued yet!" one girl announced to the others. The child beside her rolled her eyes.

"Well, duh, can't you see her eyes glowing?"

"Who is she?" murmured another former Sister.

"Is she dangerous?" a little girl whispered in a hushed tone.

"Is she still carrying an _Adam_ hypo?" a child asked in disgust, "I mean, that's just gross!" Em sat, rooted to the spot, just inside the vent. She was unaware of the tears rolling down her cheeks until she reached up to wipe them away. They thought she was a _freak. _The Little Sister who had first spotted Em pushed her way to the front of the small crowd, just below the vent. She looked up at Em bravely, meeting her eyes with distrust.

"Who are you, girl? Where is your Daddy, huh? Why aren't you out harvesting Adam, like the rest of us did until mama Tenenbaum spared us? What is your name?" the bossy child demanded. Em wiped her eyes and peered out the opening. A hushed silence came over the room. The girls stared at Em either in horror, fascination, or confusion. Em stared in fear at her young competitor. She turned around swiftly and began to crawl down the vent, into another tunnel.

"Hey, she's leaving!" called a voice. Em refused to turn back, and instead climbed deeper into the darkness. She made several sharp turns, and then tumbled out a vent entrance. The room she had entered was so dark that she had not seen the drop, and landed with a small thud on the stone floor. Em gave a small groan and sat up. Luckily, her fast healing abilities were already beginning to mend her bruises and scrapes.

All of a sudden, hundreds of neon signs above the Little Sister flickered to life. The warm, colorful lights washed over Em. She squinted, attempting to decipher their meanings, but she could not read.

"Welcome to Fort Frolic!" boomed a cheerful voice.

**Hello, my Bioshock FanFiction readers! First, before I say anything else, I would like to thank my reviewers, followers, and favs. You guys are awesome! **

**For those of you keeping up with my story, rest assured, it will be updated every Wednesday! (Ok, make that Tuesday evening) ANYWAY…**

**I hope you are enjoying Em's Rapture story so far, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I will answer everything except future plot details, so ask away! **

**See you next Wednesday! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Allie stared at the vent entrance where she had first spotted the Little Sister. Now empty, the tunnel was a mysterious dark portal to an unknown destination. The rest of the girls were gathered around, talking in hushed whispers. None of them had seen a Little Sister enter the orphanage. Allie frowned. It was rare that a Sister travel anywhere around Rapture through the vents without its Big Daddy appearing at the other end, which worried Allie greatly. Had the Sister come out of the vent, she could have easily summoned her protector to exterminate the whole group.

There were about fifteen Rescued girls in the orphanage, ranging in age from five to ten. Dr. Tenenbaum looked after them for the most part, providing an adequate amount of food, water, and First-Aid kits, but she was gone most of the time. When she did return, she often had a Rescued Sister with her, refusing to answer the common "how'd ya get it?" question that almost all the girls asked every time. Only Allie knew the truth, being the curious one, and she could see why Tenenbaum kept it a secret. If word got out that she was continuing the work of Jack Ryan and Subject Delta, none of the Sisters would trust her. Allie understood, mostly because her Sisterhood had been particularly cruel. While most Gatherers had a special way of seeing that blocked out the horrid, bloody scenery in Rapture, Allie had not. The others had seen Rapture's true nature while gathering; Allie had seen it all the time. The whole experience had been especially scarring for the now ten-year old, but, Allie reflected, it had made her into a stronger person. She was the self-proclaimed leader. The others needed someone brave and smart to make decisions, and because she was the oldest, this was automatically assumed of her. She made no objections; being the leader was fun. So it was no surprise to the girl when the others obeyed immediately when she ordered,

"Quick! We must not let her escape. Mama Tenenbaum needs to Rescue her! Follow the Little Sister!" All fifteen Rescued Sisters filed into the tunnel, one by one, after Allie.

Em remained on the floor, eyeing the mysterious man descending down the steps in front of her with distrust. He wore an excessive amount of stage makeup, as though he was readying himself to perform for a large amount of people. He wore a surprisingly clean looking suit, and his black hair was slicked back with too much gel. He had a small, funny-looking moustache that made Em want to laugh, although she did not. He had a bowtie perched above the collar of his button-down white shirt, and he appeared somewhat civil. The way he walked down the great staircase was especially fascinating. The man appeared to hold himself as if he was someone important; as though he held terrifying political power. Em did not trust him for a second. He did not appear to be a Splicer, but in Rapture, one can never be certain of what seems.

When he reached the bottom of the staircase, he paused to give several eccentric bows to an unseen audience. He casually walked over to Em, bowing to her, even though she was sitting on the floor, regarding him as though he was a crazed Splicer.

"I am Sander Cohen!" he announced loudly, "I welcome you to Fort Frolic, the home of my many masterpieces! Feel free to browse my extensive art collection. Perhaps you would like to buy a ticket for the upcoming performance at Fleet Hall?" Em's impression of art was not a good one. She vaguely remembered her mother reading her a picture book, pointing to the cartoonish illustrations, calling them art. Of course, they were, but a picture book is not a Da Vinci.

"What is art?" Em blurted out. For the first time since making his grand entrance, Em could see that Mr. Cohen was stunned. He looked at her closely for the first time. _He obviously knows what I am, now, _Em thought miserably.

"You do not know what art is?" the man asked. Em shook her head. "Well, I suppose I must show you then. Follow me!" he cried. Em stood up on unsteady legs, and followed Sander Cohen to a small stage near the bottom of the staircase. "This," he said proudly, "is my masterpiece. It is art. It is an expression of the mind!" Em frowned. What looked like statues of Splicers were holding picture frames at odd angles. The pictures were of Dead Angels.

"What are those things?" Em asked, pointing to the "statues".

"Why, those are magnificent beings, posing wonderfully for my work!" Cohen proclaimed, sweeping his arm majestically.

"Wait," Em asked, "you mean those are real people?" Mr. Cohen nodded enthusiastically.

"They're covered in plaster see, so they can hold their beautiful positions!" Em took a step back, not trusting the man at all. "It's alright," Cohen stammered, "Please don't scream!" Em paused. _What does he mean? _The answer came to Em easily. _He's scared of Mr. B! _

"If you scare me, Mister, I will scream. I can't help it, Mr. Cohen," Em smiled. Now it was Sander's turn to take a step back. "I have to go now. Mr. Bubbles doesn't like to be kept waiting." The man nodded.

"Go on, little moth!" he cried, waving for her to leave. With that statement, Em ran towards a different vent, climbed into it, and disappeared.

Allie saw the colorful lights before anyone else. The flashing, beautiful sight drew her in. The Sister must have gone that way.

"Come on, be quiet!" Allie instructed her crew. The others fell silent, moving along soundlessly behind her. When the young girl reached the entrance to the vent, she peered out, examining the area just as the Sister had done. After establishing that the grand room filled with bright signs was indeed safe, she let herself drop from the vent. After helping the others climb down, Allie put a finger to her lips, meeting the eyes of the rest of them seriously. They nodded in understanding. Just as she was preparing to assign groups to investigate the area, a funny-looking man walked over to the vent.

"Oh dear, there are more of you?" he groaned. The Sisters looked at one another, perplexed. Allie stepped forward, intrigued.

"You mean a Little Sister is here?" she asked excitedly.

"Oh, she was. She left through that… thing over there," the man informed Allie, pointing to a vent across the room.

"Thank-you, sir," Allie replied. "Come on, let's go!" she called to the others, who followed her across the gigantic room. As Allie climbed up to the entrance, the man called out,

"My name is Sander Cohen. Feel free to visit my exquisite creations of art anytime you like. Fly away, little moths!"

**Em finally meets the infamous Sander Cohen. (He's such an interesting character) What do you think of Allie? Please review! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five **

Adam. Em needed it in a bad way. The small mouthful she had salvaged from the abandoned hypo had not been enough, and she was caught by a dizzy spell while climbing down from the vent. Clutching the hypo, Em stumbled over to a Dead Angel lying on the ground, surrounded by rose petals. She fell weakly to her knees, not caring that they had been scraped. She hardly felt the pain. Raising her hypo, she plunged it into the body. The scenery changed rapidly. The angel was nothing more than a decaying body caught in a sticky pool of dried blood. She turned away from its badly deformed face as she continued to gather. Arms shaking, the small child brought the hypo to her mouth, letting the liquid fill her up. The body returned to its Angel form, which soothed her. Em wiped her mouth, looking around cautiously. A small, defenseless girl would be an easy target for an Adam-crazy Splicer.

Despite the constant intake of Adam, Em knew that her Sisterhood was fading away. Although she still perceived bodies to be Angels, she could now see the monstrosity and deterioration of Rapture. Without Mr. Bubbles, the only reason Em had to gather Adam was for her own survival. In Rapture, the survival of the city and the Family was more important than the life of a single individual. Therefore, she was becoming more and more human with every passing hour. Already, one of her eyes was beginning to look rather dim, perhaps even a little blue, from what she was able to perceive from her reflection. Soon there would be no more Angels. There would be dead people, blood, and an abandoned city slowly filling up with water. In the midst of all the chaos, one little girl, very much human, would stand alone and cry.

Em was tired. She yawned, and out of habit explained to no one in particular, "I'm ready for dream time, Mr. B." There was no safe place in Rapture for the young child to go unnoticed, so she did the only practical thing: she hid in a crate. It was a rather large, sturdy wood box, covered in panels, surrounded by other identical containers. She pried off one end and climbed inside, making sure to latch it shut behind her.

In the darkness, she encountered something large and bulky. She frowned, picking up the object. It was some kind of radio. Em knew that it had a name, but she could not think of it. She closed her eyes, holding it close to her. _Of course_, realized, _I remember these from the Little_ _Sister's Orphanage. It's an Accu Vox._ Without thinking, she pressed one of the buttons. A black-and-white image of Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum flickered to life near one of the speakers. A pre-recorded message, or "diary" as they were referred to in Rapture, began to play.

"_It's been one week," _the soft voice of the doctor penetrated the silence, _"One week since Subject Delta, Eleanor, and Sofia Lamb left Rapture. I do not know what has happened to them, but what I do know is this: If they had asked me to come with them, to leave this wretched, hopeless place behind, I would not have gone. No matter what anyone else may think, I still have a duty here. The Little Sisters still wander through this city, some still with Big Daddies. It is my fault of course, for creating them in the first place. Fontaine and I were successful here, until my common sense took over. Even I, the great scientist, have a conscience. I would deal with the Daddies myself, but… I refuse to Splice. I refuse to go mad. And the only weapon I carry is for self-defense, not a provoked attack. Not that a pistol could take on a Big Daddy." _Em gasped, covering her mouth with a small, trembling hand. What was Dr. Tenenbaum saying? _"Recently, I have been considering… reprograming the Big Sisters. The Daddies may have strength and force, but the Big Sisters are faster, more… elite. If I could have them destroy the Big Daddies, then I could Rescue the Little Sisters and send them to the surface. Perhaps this could work. But none of the Little Sisters should know what I am doing. If they figured out that I was behind the death of their Fathers, I would lose their trust. They could not know that a Big Daddy is just a damaged, soulless human, Spliced beyond recognition. If none of them have seen the surface, or do not remember it, then these creatures are all that they have. But what will happen to them when Rapture floods and is forgotten? What then?" _ Em could not answer the doctor's question. She was after all, an abandoned five-year-old, condemned to death in a secret city miles beneath the ocean. But she understood one important thing: her Big Daddy's death was no accident. It was not the fault of a rebellious Big Sister, either. _Dr. Tenenbaum may_ _have fooled the others, but I am more intelligent than that_, Em thought.

Em may have been wise beyond her years, but she was still just a child. What Dr. Tenenbaum had said about the Big Daddies didn't matter to her. She had loved and trusted hers, and he had been there when there was no one else to care for her. The doctor's diary had made it impossible for Em to feel this way towards her, but at the same time, she felt no need for revenge. The little girl lay down in the crate and cried herself to sleep.

Em opened her eyes, rubbing sleep from them as she pulled herself into a sitting position. She shifted her legs, oblivious to the splinters that tore at her dress and scraped her skin. She listened intently. She was almost certain that she had heard a voice. After what seemed like a lifetime, the owner of the voice spoke up again.

"You have to think like a Little Sisters, see, to understand where she might have gone," _Oh no, not her again… _Em thought miserably. It was the same former Sister who had spoken with her at the Orphanage.

"What do you mean?" asked another girl, whose voice was a bit farther away. She was presumably hanging out of a vent.

"I mean," The girl continued, "that in order to find her, you must remember back to when you were a Gatherer. If you were traveling alone, where would you go?" Em swallowed nervously, leaning against the back of the crate. Her heart was beating so hard she was afraid the two girls could hear it.

"Allie," the voice at the vent said, "Should we come help you?"

"No Clara, I think mama Tenenbaum would appreciate it if none of you were injured, so please take the others back to the Orphanage. It was stupid and inconsiderate of me to bring you along in the first place," The girl called Clara seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if to question the order.

"Yes Allie. Please be careful," she replied obediently. _So, _Emthought,_ her name is Allie, and she is the leader._ For a while, Allie appeared not to do anything. Em did not hear her leave, so she stayed put, trembling slightly. Then she spoke.

"I know that you are out there, and that you can hear me. I know that you are scared. I was in your place not too long ago. This may be hard to believe, but everything that you are aware of at this moment is a lie. You probably think that Rescuing is the worst thing that can happen to you, and that it will take away your most precious memories. This is not true. Your Sisterhood is what is holding them from you. You have parents, two of them, not just one. A mother and a father are waiting for you when you return to the Surface. All you have to do is follow me." It was obviously a meticulously rehearsed speech, and Em did not believe a word. _You are the one who is being lied to! Dr. Tenenbaum stole your Daddy, too! _She wanted to scream. But she did not. She stayed hidden, heart pounding. It was then that she heard the sound of soft feet padding outside her crate. The container gave a creak as small fingers pried open one end. Em turned towards the blue light bathing the interior of her box. Standing just outside, peering in curiously, was Allie.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Em let out a scream and shoved herself against the far end of the crate. "Go away! Leave me alone! DADDY" she cried. The girl called Allie sat down near the front of the container and let out a sigh. Despite Em's obvious fear, the girl gave her a small smile. She was taller than Em had thought.

"If you still had a Big Daddy, you would not have visited the Orphanage, would you?" she asked calmly.

"DADDY!" Em screeched, her high-pitched voice echoing loudly.

"I think that it is safe to assume that he is dead. That or his reaction time is frighteningly slow for a Protector," Allie stated matter-of-factly. She held out her hand. "It's alright. You're safe now."

"No! You're lying! You're lying!" Em wailed, slapping away the girl's outstretched palm. She began to sob.

"Tell me one good reason to lie. I am not an Adam addict. I don't want what you have. I work for Dr. Tenenbaum," Allie explained. Her expression was soft and sad.

"She's lying! She killed them, she killed them all!" Em cried. Allie frowned in confusion.

"Killed what, Splicers?" she questioned. Em shook her head rapidly.

"NO!" she snapped, flinging the Accu Vox out of the crate. Allie picked it up carefully and hit the green button. The recording began to play once more. When it was done, she set the device down calmly. It was silent for a few moments. Then Em spoke up. "That's what she did! I'm all alone now, and it's _ALL HER FAULT!" _

"I know," Allie replied. Em sat still, stunned. The girl was staring at her with little emotion. "I know because I put this here," she said simply, pointing at the Accu Vox.

"What are you saying?" Em whimpered, her voice shaking.

"Come out of the crate and I'll tell you," Allie responded. She held out her hand once again. "You can trust me, I promise. I'm no Splicer." Em frowned. After what seemed like hours, she reached out and took the other girl's hand.

For once, the atmosphere of Rapture was unnaturally silent. No Splicers could be heard picking fights, no Big Daddies were groaning, and no Little Sisters were singing. The silence was frightening. Em stood just outside the crate, looking up at the older child with wide, scared eyes. "Who are you?" she whispered.

"My name is…" the girl hesitated, as if she was deciding whether to trust the Little Sister.

"I know your name. I just don't know anything about you," Em stated. Allie sighed.

"So I guess you already know my first name. I've forgotten the other part of it, but it doesn't matter. I take care of the little ones down at the Orphanage," Em blinked.

"What's in it for you?" she asked. Allie looked at Em with discomfort.

"Dr. Tenenbaum promised me that she would show me the sun… someday," she replied. Without thinking, Em blurted out,

"Oh, you should see it now! It's so bright that it hurts your eyes, but it's so beautiful…" Allie narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"How could you possibly know that?" she snapped. Em took a step back, trembling a little.

"Because… because I've seen it!" she cried.

"But," Allie contradicted, "If you had been born Topside, the transformation would have wiped your memory." She bent down and examined Em's right eye. "Wait… is it my imagination or…"

"My eyes were blue. I guess 'cause Mr. Bubbles is gone they're gonna be blue again," she explained.

"That makes no sense whatsoever. A broken bond should not have reversed the transformation," Allie said.

"Well, what makes no sense to me is that Dr. Tenenbaum is killing all the Big Daddies. Why would she do that Allie?" Em asked.

"There's a lot to explain," Allie replied, "I'll tell you on the way to the Orphanage," she grabbed Em's hand and gently tugged her towards a vent. Just then, a piercing scream split through the once-silent air. It was a very familiar scream.

"Big Sister doesn't want you playing with me," she whispered to Allie. The ten-year old rolled her eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's probably one of Dr. Tenenbaum's. It won't hurt us," She continued to drag/carry Em towards the vent. Just as the pair neared the entrance, the sound of metal on stone echoed not far behind them.

"Big Sister is coming, coming now!" Em screamed, kicking and fighting against the older girl.

"Shut up or you'll attract Splicers!" Allie hissed, whipping her head around to face her captive. She looked up suddenly, her face growing pale. Standing not far behind them was a Big Sister.

"What's wrong? I thought they were okay!" Em sobbed.

"Oh no, oh no," Allie whispered," That's not one of Dr. Tenenbaum's. She created hers in Eleanor Lamb's image, with a glowing green helmet," The Big Sister's helmet glowed red. The Big Sister took a step towards them, her head tipped curiously. "When I say run, you run," Allie growled through clenched teeth. Em nodded. The Big Sister advanced closer, preparing to capture the only Little Sister in its presence. Not far behind, a group of Splicers was watching intently. If the Big Sister took Em, then Allie would be theirs…

"When?" Em whimpered anxiously. Allie met her eyes with defiance and bravery.

"Now. Run!" she screeched, shoving Em in the opposite direction. The Big Sister let out a challenging scream and raced after them. She cut them off abruptly, starting towards them once again. Behind the two girls, the gang of Splicers jeered and threw insults. Em latched onto Allie's arm, shivering in fear. All of a sudden, the Big Sister stopped. It had heard the screams before the girls.

"Two Big Sisters?" Em moaned.

"We are going to die," Allie stated calmly.

**Please review. Thanks! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Em felt a sharp tug on her arm as the Big Sister raced past her and hauled her into its basket. The other one was close, and somehow her captor sensed that it meant business. The small child clutched the rusty wire basket on the creature's back, terrified. Allie stood by herself, cowering slightly as anxious Splicers surrounded her.

"Allie!" she screamed, watching the Rapture-born monsters descend on the other girl. Em still did not trust the former Little Sister, but she could not bear to watch her die.

Another piercing shriek echoed through the city, signaling the arrival of the second Big Sister. The Splicers, too damaged to understand, appeared to not be threatened. Their attention was all for the defenseless child.

Em's Big Sister whipped her head side to side, then darted off like a bullet. She did not get more than ten paces before a metal creature dropped from above, landing in front of them with a screech of rusted metal. Em trembled. It was the other Big Sister.

"Help!" she wailed, "DADDY!" From behind her, she heard the former Sister shriek. The harsh, crazed laughter of Rapture's citizens cut through the air like a knife.

"If Dr. Tenenbaum sent you, please help!" Allie screamed at it. In an instant, the Big Sister blocking the captor's escape route maneuvered around the pair and towards the ten-year old. Em thought that it looked rather large to be a typical Big Sister, but she quickly dismissed the thought from her mind. As her Big Sister darted off, Em looked back towards the shattering cries and explosions. She saw the Splicers scatter. Then the Big Sister skidded around a corner, and she could see no more.

Em glared. Her only maybe-friend was probably dying at the hands of vicious zombie-like psychopaths, and she could do nothing to help. "Stop!" she snapped through her tears. The Big Sister ignored her, just as her Big Daddy had done. As a Little Sister, Em knew that Big Sisters were normally trustworthy, but for some reason she could not understand, she felt a burning hate towards the one carrying her. _Perhaps it is because one of these… monsters… killed Mr. B, _she thought. But deep down, she knew that this was not true. Dr. Tenenbaum had murdered her Daddy, not the Big Sister. Little by little, she was regaining her… sanity. "I said STOP!" she screeched to her captor. In reply, the creature made a few pathetic squeals, as if to console her. Angrily, Em clenched the metal basket, her knuckles turning white.

It was then that she saw them. Five Eve hypos were attached to the Big Sister's armor, along with a Plasmid. Em frowned. _Why would a Big Sister need hypos if her Plasmids are powered solely by Adam intake? _ Em decided that the Big Sister did not need them. Her decision was split-second, and done without much thought. She snatched a hypo, emptied it, and refilled it with the red plasmid. Without hesitating, she jammed the syringe into her right arm. She let out a moan as red consumed her vision.

"This one died alone and afraid. Stand in our way and you'll do the same!" Allie recited, her eyes narrowed, a devilish smirk forming on her face. Jets of unimaginably hot flames shot from her fingertips, causing the badly deformed (now burnt) Splicer to howl in agony. It toppled to the ground with a sickening thud. The light in its eyes had died well before Allie had administered the final blow. It was not murder; it was, as "Atlas" and Augustus Sinclair had stated: euthanasia.

She had done this too many times to count, and the power came easily to her. She had not lied to the fatherless Little Sister she had encountered; she was no Splicer. She had discovered long ago that she and Jack Ryan shared one thing in common: they were immune to the horrid effects of Splicing.

Beside her, Dr. Tenenbaum's Big Sister fought viciously, injuring as many of the escaping Splicers as she could. The pair moved almost in sync, matching each other move for move as if they had been doing so their entire lives. Needless to say, the Splicers did not stick around, and fled in as many directions as possible. The duo stood alone as the rest of the creatures disappeared into the shadows. For a second, victory consumed the young girl, bringing a smile of relief to her face. The emotion however, was killed quickly with the realization that she had failed her mission.

"They got away!" she cried. "I let that creature take that poor girl away!" _Please be okay, wherever you are, _Allie thought miserably. She hung her head in shame.

"They couldn't have gone far," the Big Sister reassured her. "We still have time. We can catch them if I carry you," Allie blinked, startled by the so-called monster's vocalization. She grinned and held out her arm. The Big Sister lifted her into its cage.

"Thank-you, Dr. Tenenbaum."

Em's body thrashed violently, as if it had been taken over by a seizure. Strong bolts of electricity coursed through her tiny veins, rewriting her DNA partially. She felt the surge of power, the rush of accomplishment. The pain ebbed away, leaving pure energy. She gasped for breath, trembling slightly. The Big Sister seemed to have not noticed what she had done, and Em felt a growing smugness within. She snatched another Eve hypo, refilling her supply. She held out a shaking hand, concentrating her abilities. A powerful shock erupted from her fingertips, stopping the Big Sister abruptly. Em slammed against the fuel tank and was flung backwards, landing hand first on the ground. She felt the bones crunch, but there was no time for pain. The small amount of Sister DNA she had left healed her almost immediately. She slowly climbed to her feet and sent another electric current through the Big Sister. She turned around and ran.

Allie saw the other girl before the Doctor. There was no mistaking the Little Sister. With her long brown hair waving wildly behind her, her skin beginning to acquire a healthy tone, and her eyes hardly glowing, the Little Sister was hard to miss. There was something off about her. Her fading Sisterhood was fascinating and scary at the same time. But something else registered within Allie's mind: familiarity. The former Sister could not remember much about her old life, as she had been stolen from Topside as a baby. For some reason, this odd Little Sister reminded Allie of herself.

"There she is!" Allie cried, pointing to her. The Little Sister saw them, and let out a joyous squeal. Dr. Tenenbaum scooped her up and gently placed her beside Allie.

"You're okay!" Em said happily. Allie grinned and squeezed her hand gently.

"We're in this together now," she replied. Em nodded. "How'd you get away?" Allie questioned.

"You won't believe this Allie, but-"Em was cut off abruptly by a high-pitched scream. Allie turned pale.

"It's not dead?" she groaned. Em shook her head as the Big Sister came into view, its helmet glowing an angry red color. It charged, crashing into them with frightening force.

"Dr. Tenenbaum!" Allie shrieked. Em turned towards her, eyes narrowed.

"Wait, you mean-"

"Now is not the time," Allie growled through clenched teeth. The Doctor took a step back, calmly taking the two young girls out of her cage and setting them down. "What are you doing?" Allie howled in dismay.

"Get back!" Dr. Tenenbaum snapped at the girls. Allie did as she was told, tugging Em behind a crate. After a moment's hesitation, the two girls heard a screech, and the sound of metal meeting metal. They could not see what was going on, but the fighting continued. After what seeming like forever, a dying screech echoed through Rapture.

A Big Sister, Em wasn't sure which one, had been killed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Em squeezed her eyes shut, her heart pounding. Beside her, Allie held Em's arm in a death grip. The two girls said nothing. For a while, there was silence.

"It is alright," came the doctor's voice, "You are safe now." As soon as she heard Dr. Tenenbaum speak, Allie darted out from behind the crates and leaped into her arms. Em stood up, peering around the crate shyly. She still did not know what to think of Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum.

As she watched, the doctor removed her custom Big Sister helmet, holding it against her hip. Her other arm was wrapped around Allie, who was sobbing softly. She looked at Em calmly.

"I promise that I will not hurt you. I will explain everything once we return to the Orphanage," she assured the five-year old. Slowly, Em tiptoed out from behind the box. She trembled, too frightened to speak. The doctor had saved her life, but she had also killed Mr. Bubbles.

When her eyes found the dead Big Sister lying on the floor, her limbs splayed awkwardly, her suit covered in scorch marks and bullet holes, Em found that she could go no closer to the doctor. Her Sister sight was gone. There were no Angels. There were only bodies.

"You're-you're a Splicer?" Em stammered, cowering slightly. The Big Sister had been badly burned.

"No child," Brigid replied, "I have a special weapon that Incinerates- a flamethrower." To prove her point, she set the weapon down in front of Em.

"Oh," Em whispered, relieved. _Am I a Splicer now? _She thought, frightened. She pushed the thought away. There was only one question on her mind. "Why did you kill my Daddy?" she asked. The doctor hesitated, frowning slightly.

"I could not tell you in this state. It would be impossible for you to understand. I will explain. Come, we must go quickly, or the others will find us," Tenenbaum answered. She let go of Allie and held out her hand. Em shuffled forward, bending to pick up the flamethrower and handing it back to the doctor. She had no other choice, really. She followed Dr. Tenenbaum and Allie to the nearest vent, where the doctor helped the two children through the opening. Em clutched her Adam hypo tightly, determined not to lose it.

"Follow me," Allie instructed. Her tears had mostly dried by then, and her voice had resumed its bossy tone. The ten-year old snapped her fingers, and a tiny flame appeared, illuminating the tunnel. Em gasped.

"I-I thought you said-"she began, but Allie interrupted.

"Depending on your genes, the effects of Splicing are easily avoidable. Therefore, I do not refer to myself as a Splicer, even though I have Spliced," she explained. Em wondered if she was the same way. She gazed at the flickering fire, intrigued by its power. _I bet that's the Plasmid I keep hearing about over the intercom. I think it's called Incinerate. Mine's Electro-bolt, probably, _she thought to herself as she followed Allie down the tunnel. The idea of Splicing had always disgusted her, but Em was having second thoughts. Her Plasmid had saved her life.

There were exactly fifteen girls living in the Little Sister's Orphanage, all of which were Little Sisters at one time or another. They crowded around Em, talking excitedly. They had all seen her before, but this was the first time up-close, and they were all fighting for a view of the girl who still had not been Rescued. Em refused to cower. Instead, she looked all the girls in the eye, glaring fiercely. Surprisingly, none of them were the least bit scared.

When Dr. Tenenbaum appeared, wearing a skirt and blouse instead of the Big Sister suit, Em fixed her with the same defiant stare. Although she had lost her Sister sight, her eyes stilled glowed faintly, giving the impression that she was some kind of demon. All the former Sisters raced towards her, yelling excitedly and pointing at Em.

"There's another one, Mama!" a girl even younger than Em shrieked.

"How'd ya get it?" asked a slightly older one.

"Well, I know how she got it," said another girl. From the sound of her voice, Em thought that it must have been Clara, the girl who had been helping Allie. The questions continued, creating such a din that Dr. Tenenbaum had to shout over their voices, laughing at the same time.

"Girls, girls, settle down," she chuckled. The girls, being former Sisters, were disturbingly obedient. Every head turned towards Em, every eye blinked with wonder. "I think that we should let out guest speak for herself."

"I have one question," Em stated, her tiny voice surprisingly strong.

"Yes?" Dr. Tenenbaum asked.

"What makes you any different than Jack Ryan, or Subject Delta?" at this, the doctor raised her eyebrows, her face betraying surprise.

"Who's Della?" an extremely young girl squeaked. The other girls murmured in agreement, having never heard the names before. Em continued in a calm manner,

"The city of Rapture is a delicate ecosystem, that, when harmed, creates mass chaos, destruction, and ultimately kills it from the inside out, much like a parasite. Your work is collapsing this safe haven created for us by Andrew Ryan and maintained by Sofia Lamb. Who do you think you are?" Em said coldly, reciting everything she had been taught. Brigid appeared to be frozen in place, fear flashing in her eyes for a brief second. Without answering, she grabbed Allie by one arm and escorted her into her office, slamming the door shut behind them. The former Sisters stared at Em in alarm.

"What did you do?" one girl asked, her voice quavering.

"I knew she couldn't be trusted," Em spat, folding her arms across her chest.

"I've seen cases like this before," Brigid explained, her voice trembling as she struggled to heave an overflowing file folder on top of her desk. She quickly flipped through the pages, muttering to herself.

"What do you mean?" Allie asked. She had never seen the doctor this stressed before.

"Has it ever occurred to you, that this particular five-year old, is much too intelligent for her age? Or that she uses words that even I do not use?" Dr. Tenenbaum questioned.

"Well…" Allie thought, "I guess I might've noticed…"

"This… mutation, if you will, is quite rare. I've only run into it a few times, but…" Tenenbaum trailed off, still flipping through the file determinedly.

"I don't get it," Allie frowned, watching the anxious doctor.

"She's been brainwashed," Tenenbaum answered crisply, still searching through her papers.

"Aren't all the Little Sisters that way?" Allie asked.

"Well, yes. Before the surgery, they are all trained like mindless drones," Tenenbaum answered. "The history of Rapture, the duties of the Little Sisters, and other useless information is pounded into their brains. After the complete transformation, they become attached to their Big Daddies, and mostly disregard their schooling, only remembering the details concerning Adam collection."

"So what's the point of it then?" Allie questioned.

"Ask Dr. Suchong, if he's still… around," Tenenbaum suggested. Allie sighed.

"I still don't get why you're all stressed out over this,"

"Aha!" the doctor cried, "Here is the page!"

"What does it say?" Allie said eagerly.

"My entries contain the details of previous cases like this one. Before ours, there were two other girls. I labeled them 'defective'. All of them had lost their Big Daddies…" Tenenbaum explained, tracing the scribbled handwriting with one finger.

"Is it like the case of Eleanor Lamb and Subject Delta? Delta's body began to shut down when his bond was nearly broken," the former Sister asked. The doctor shook her head.

"No, it is nothing like that. This defect occurs during the surgery. The Protector and the Little Sister are not bonded correctly. So, when the Big Daddy dies, the Little Sister is ultimately freed."

"But isn't that a good thing?" Allie frowned, still unsure of the whole situation. "I mean, the girl's eyes have nearly stopped glowing and her skin doesn't look so dead and gross," Tenenbaum rolled her eyes.

"This defective bond deteriorates not only the physical appearance of the Little Sister, but it also decreases her need for Adam. The transformation can only reverse itself so much. The… slug is still inside of her. Left alone without Adam, it could kill her."

"Oh," Allie whispered softly.

"She may have resumed her pre-transformation brainwashed state, but this is a deadly thing," the doctor continued. "Soon she will have no cravings for Adam. She will then die."

"She needs to be Rescued," Allie stated seriously, "right now."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Em stood in the center of the former Sisters, hugging herself but glaring disgustedly at the same time. Part of her could not stand to be examined in such a way. It was as though she was an animal in a… _zoo. _Em frowned. The word had come to her as her name had: it had just appeared in her head. She had no recollection of this "zoo", yet somehow the word seemed to describe her situation perfectly.

Another part of Em, the nasty, smart-mouthed, fierce, sarcastic part, said, _let them stare. I'll make them run away screaming! _A childish smirk appeared on her face, causing several of the small children to shriek and dart away. The older ones sneered at her in disgust. Yet not a single one had the courage to say a word to her face.

It was then that the doors of Dr. Tenenbaum's office burst open. Allie ran over to the crowd, pushing through the former Sisters, followed closely by the doctor herself.

"We have to Rescue you, now!" Allie screeched hysterically. Em backed away, her lips pressed together in an angry pout.

"Alexandra, please," the doctor said solemnly, "do not scare her." Allie grumbled something inaudible and took a few steps back. "Girls," she continued, "please return to your quarters." Reluctantly, the fifteen former Sisters, Allie, and Em turned away and began to shuffle towards the double door in the back of the room. "Alexandra, please stay here. You too," she directed Em.

When the room had cleared, Allie and Em were standing defiantly across the room, staring at the doctor.

"If you touch me, I'll scream!" Em threatened, not caring that the threat of her Protector had been eliminated long ago. The doctor gave a sigh. She sat down on one knee and motioned for the children to come over. Allie did so readily, but Em stayed rooted to the spot, her tiny hands curled into fists, her feet spread apart in a fighting stance. She was scared, but she refused to show it.

"My records indicate that you are one of two Little Sisters left in all of Rapture. I know both of their names from the Topside newspaper reports, but I would prefer that you tell me yourself," Tenenbaum said calmly.

"Why should I?" Em snapped. Fear was building up inside of her, and it took all her self-control to remain steady.

"Because I am here to help you," Brigid replied.

"Fine," Em hissed, "I'll tell you my name." Em stood up tall, despite her torn, ratty dress. She angrily shoved her knotted brown hair out her eyes, determined to look at least a little intimidating. "My name is…" she trailed off. She had no idea how to introduce herself, seeing as she had never done it before. "My name is Emily."

"Ah, yes, you must be the Brimfield girl, the one from America. Your parents are extremely worried about you," Tenenbaum stated. Em nodded, still unsure about her "parents". "It is alright Emily, you are safe here. We will not harm you."

"I-I mean, please call me Em," she stuttered. Em felt her lower lip tremble. It was at that particular moment that the young girl realized that she could trust the doctor and the strange former Sister beside her. The thought came as a shock. Dismay washed over the young child. Then she burst into tears. Emily Brimfield, beaten, broken, and utterly lost, crumpled to the floor in a heap, sobbing loudly. She buried her head in her knees, rocking herself slowly. A tall shadow loomed over her, engulfing her in a tight hug.

"Shh," Dr. Tenenbaum murmured, "You are safe now,"

"I-I want my Daddy!" Em wailed.

"I know you do, child. And you will see him soon enough," Brigid reassured her.

"What do you mean? He's d-dead. You killed him!" Em sobbed.

"Little one, you have a family waiting for you on the surface. Your real father, your mother, and, if I am remembering correctly, I believe that you also have a sister."

"A sister?" Em croaked, burying her face in the doctor's blouse.

"Yes, you have a big sister. However, I think you'll find that she is not as intimidating as the ones we have here in Rapture," Tenenbaum joked, lifting the girl up onto her lap. Em sniffed, wiping her eyes with her finger.

"They won't wanna see me anyway," Em moaned, feeling the tears trickle down her cheeks again.

"Why wouldn't they, child? You've been missed for over a year now," Tenenbaum reassured her.

"They won't want me 'cause who wants a Splicer for a daughter?" Em whispered, letting a tiny spark fly from her fingertip. Gently, the doctor took Em's hand in her own, covering the tiny shocks erupting from the girl's veins. Much to Em's surprise, the doctor was not angry in any way by this discovery.

"We can fix that," she replied.

"How?" Em whispered. Gently, Brigid set the young child on the floor. She stood up and took out a small red bottle from her pocket. It was the same one she had almost used on Em when she had caught her the first time. Em felt the same fear again, but pushed it away angrily.

"It doesn't hurt, if that's what you were wondering," Allie said quietly. "I Spliced after I was Rescued," she added.

"So… you're going to Rescue me?" Em whimpered pathetically. The doctor nodded.

"You also have a special condition that requires this treatment," she explained. "It will help you understand."

"Wait," Allie interrupted, "Since she's super-smart, will that be reversed too?" Em frowned, confused.

"No, the effects on her brain are permanent. On the bright side, it guarantees a successful future," Brigid explained to Allie.

"Is your name Alexandra or Allie?" Em asked, still perplexed by the entire situation, but unwilling to understand it.

"Is your name Emily or Em?" Allie replied.

"Oh, I get it," Em muttered. The doctor ignored the two and continued,

"I am asking you to trust me. I know that you feel as if you have nothing and no one left, and that all you feel towards me is hate, but I beg of you to trust me, Emily," the doctor said solemnly.

Em closed her eyes, her head lowered. She remembered Mr. Bubbles, and the time spent collecting Adam. She remembered the Dead Angels she could no longer see, and the hungry Splicers chasing after her ravenously. She loved her Big Daddy more than anything else in all of Rapture. But she also remembered the dim memories of her parents: smiling, laughing, loving faces. She remembered Allie, who had risked her life to save Em's. She had found a friend. In spite of everything she had been through, Em felt as though she were filled with a new purpose. Her Little Sister instincts were fading, and she hadn't had any Adam for a while. Her eyes, still faintly glowing, blinked open. She met Dr. Tenenbaum's eyes with newfound trust. She took a deep breath.

"I'm ready."

**Please review.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Are you quite sure about that?" Brigid asked the small, trembling girl in front of her. The little one had scrambled out of her grasp and was standing directly before her, her tiny arm outstretched. It amazed the doctor that within the small child's bloodstained, weak frame, there was a sense of bravery even greater than her own. But still. Young Emily Brimfield could hardly meet her eye. She refused to come any closer.

"Don't be silly. Of course she wants to be Rescued; she just told you so!" Allie piped up. The doctor sighed. The stubborn ten-year old's presence only complicated things further. Brigid was never certain as to why she kept the ten-year old as her "assistant"; she asked too many questions and was thoroughly annoying. But of course, she was good company, and she was intelligent. The child was special; being the oldest meant being the leader.

"Alexandra, _please_ refrain from speaking until I say so," Tenenbaum ordered. In response, the child muttered a few choice words under her breath. The doctor pretended not to hear. She turned her attention back to the young girl in front of her.

Em was not quite sure what had made her say it; but she knew for certain that it was true. Her time with Mr. Bubbles was done. What purpose did she serve in Rapture? She could think of no answer. Therefore, she concluded that this… _rescuing_… would serve her better. It would help her find her purpose. After all, it was what she had begun to desire, and wouldn't her Daddy want her to be happy? The dim memories of her time before Rapture were slowly resurfacing, and Em found herself longing to be held in her parents' arms. In fact, a small ache had started within her. For the first time since becoming a Little Sister, Em was homesick.

Em looked up, meeting the doctor's eyes. Even she found it hard to believe that she trusted the doctor. Although she was hardly a Little Sister anymore, the last of her Sister instincts had yet to fade, and trust was not an easy thing to gain.

She wasted no more time. Her decision had been made. "Daddy wants me to be safe. You will keep me safe, won't you?" she asked the doctor.

"As best I can, little one," Brigid answered. "Safety is not guaranteed in Andrew Ryan's perfect world."

"Then do it!" Em sobbed, "Do it now!" The tears were starting again, cascading down her face in desperation. The doctor kneeled down, meeting Em's brilliant blue gaze.

"You are remarkable, you know that, don't you?" the doctor murmured. Em frowned. "After all you've been through," Dr. Tenenbaum continued, "and you can still put up a fight." A small smile formed on Brigid's face.

Allie let out an exasperated sigh. "You're really drawing this out, aren't you?" she sat down beside the pair, resting the palm of her hand on her chin. Tenenbaum rolled her eyes, groaning good-naturedly. Em squirmed impatiently, ready to get the whole process over with.

By now, the five-year old was a complete mess. The messy brown hair that had come out of her ponytail was waving wildly around her, full of knots and snarls. Her once-perfect blue dress was torn slightly above the knee, and the ripped edges were soaked in blood. Every inch of her pale skin was covered in filth and grime. Her eyes, still faintly glowing, were half-closed in weariness. It was all she could do to stop herself from yawning. In short, Emily Brimfield had had enough. She held out her hand to the doctor once more.

"Please," she whispered, her voice pleading.

"You'd better do it," Allie told the doctor.

"Before I begin Emily, there is something you must know," Brigid began reluctantly, "I _am_ the one who is responsible for the death of your Big Daddy; indirectly, I might add. You see, Rapture has become the hell that it is because of… me."

"Huh?" Allie and Em chorused. The two girls looked at each other, dumbfounded.

"I discovered Adam. I found out how it could be used, and that if it was inserted into a host, it could replenish the supply much faster. Fontaine and I made a profit from it, but I found that I could no longer continue with my work. I felt so guilty… When Jack Ryan found his way down here, he helped me Rescue all the little ones I had harmed. He brought them to the surface. But then, after I had left Rapture behind, I found that my work was being continued. I returned and with the help of Subject Delta, managed to Rescue more. But there were still little ones down here, so I could not leave with him. The Big Sisters I reprogrammed help me, and that is why your Big Daddy was killed. I was Rescuing you." The doctor finished.

"Oh, I already heard that story," Allie replied. Meanwhile, Em sat in silence, letting the doctor's words sink in.

_It is her fault that I am a Little Sister… and she is helping me. She is helping all of us. Daddy's an Angel because he NEEDS to be an Angel. He saved me too, _Em realized.

"I understand now," Em announced; her voice loud but clear, "You saved me." Brigid smiled. 

"So I did," was her simple answer.

"COME ON! If you don't Rescue her now, she'll die from lack of Adam!" Allie moaned, overcome by boredom.

"WHAT?" Em shrieked, turning to the doctor wildly. Dr. Tenenbaum simply nodded.

"You have a condition. We can't leave you alone much longer." Em trembled, her eyes wide and scared. Calmly, the doctor stood up. "Are you sure that you are ready for this?"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure! I've told you at least fifty bazillion times!" Em cried.

"She's right, you know," Allie added, standing up as well, watching intently.

Without a word, Brigid scooped Em up, holding her gently in her left arm. She placed her right hand on Em's forehead. At once, her veins began to glow white. Em closed her eyes, waiting.

Waiting.

The room grew dim.

_Thud._

**Please review. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

_Ow… why do I hurt so bad? _Em thought blearily. She whimpered softly and blinked open her eyes. The bright overhead light nearly blinded her, and she had to turn away for a brief moment.

"Are you okay?" Allie asked anxiously. She was peering down at Em, concern in her light blue eyes.

"Where am I?" Em rasped. She was lying down on the floor, confused as to how she got there.

"In the Orphanage," Allie replied, "I don't know what happened, but Dr. Tenenbaum shut herself in her office and refuses to come out." Em pulled herself into a sitting position.

"Did she Rescue me?" Em asked. In response, Allie bit her lip and handed Em her Adam hypo.

"Drink this. You'll feel better," she instructed. Em gratefully took the hypo and raised the bottle end to her mouth. She took a big, greedy gulp… and spat it out. She coughed. The liquid had a strong copper taste, not at all like the sweet flavor of Adam.

"What is this?" she grumbled, wiping the droplets from the corners of her mouth.

"Adam," Allie responded simply.

"I know what Adam tastes like, and this is not it!" Em stated.

"Think about it," Allie explained, "Unlike most Little Sisters, you are deteriorating. Your Sister sight is probably gone by know, so shouldn't the taste of Adam do the same?"

"What is Adam?" Em whispered. Allie shook her head, refusing to say any more. "Didn't Dr. Tenenbaum Rescue me?" When Allie refused to answer, Em looked away, hurt and confused.

"Come on, I'll show you where you can sleep," Allie said, standing up. She helped Em to her feet and the two girls walked through the double doors leading to the Little Sisters' quarters.

The walls were lined with bunk beds, some abandoned, others containing sleeping bags or ratty blankets. The former Little Sisters were running around, squealing with delight. They were playing… _tag. Another new word_, Em mused. Others were drawing in coloring books or hopping from bed to bed. But all activity halted abruptly when the two girls entered.

"It's alright, she's been Rescued," Allie declared. Em stared at her, confused.

"But-," she began. Allie continued, as though Em had never spoken.

"Don't worry, she's actually not as much of a jerk as she acts," The former Sister giggled. Em rolled her eyes. She was more amused than hurt. In response, the other fourteen girls started to laugh. "She needs a place to sleep," Allie added. Several of the younger girls darted over.

"Over here!" a little girl with black hair and green eyes exclaimed, tugging her hand. She felt a tiny pair of hands shove her from behind. Em turned around, spotting another girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. She found herself surrounded by the cheerful, smiling children, and she could not help but grin herself.

The bed was already made for her, complete with a sleeping bag and pillow. Em sank down gratefully, closed her eyes, and let sleep take her. The chattering of the others became no more than a dim whisper.

"That dress is a sight. I've never seen one quite so dirty," the voice of a former Little Sister forced Em from sleep. Clara stood over Em, examining her filthy dress with mild amusement. "I'm Clara, by the way," she announced, extending her hand. Em sat up, succumbing to the other girl's formal introduction.

"I'm Emily," she responded. Clara simply nodded.

"I know; everyone does."

"Oh," Em replied.

"You need to be washed. You're disgusting," Clara decided, wrinkling her nose. "No offense," she added as an afterthought. Em frowned. The girl had obviously offended her, and now she wanted to use a simple, meaningless apology to make up for it? It didn't make sense, but Em kept quiet. "Follow me," Clara said, taking off towards the other side of the room.

"Hey, wait!" Em cried, scrambling off the bed and running after the other girl. Clara kept going, out one door, left down a small hallway, into another room. By the time Em caught up, she was panting and wheezing. The whole experience with the Big Sisters had worn her out, and she still had yet to fully recover.

"You're going to have to be a bit quicker than that to survive Rapture," Clara stated calmly. The small room they had entered was nearly empty, save for a broken pipe hanging across the room. A steady stream of water flowed from it. A dim light hung overhead, providing hardly enough light to see by. A large drain was in the center of the room, covered by thick metal grating.

"Where are we?" Em asked.

"This is the designated shower room. There's no more running water down here, so we have to make do. It's cold, but it works. It's connected to a filter, so the water's not dirty. There's a clean dress for you in the back," Clara explained, pointing past the pipe. "Have fun!" she said cheerfully, skipping out of the room, closing the door behind her. Em frowned, trying to comprehend Clara's intentions. Her returning memory helped, as she began to remember bathing. Her eyes widened.

"Oh…" she whispered.

By the time Em had dried herself with a towel and had slipped herself into the new red dress, she was shivering uncontrollably. Her wet hair was knotted into strands, dangling over her face. She did her best to comb it through with her fingers. A moment later, Em heard someone knock on the door. She opened it cautiously; relieved to find that it was only Allie. Em opened her mouth to ask her friend why she had lied about her Rescuing, but Allie cut her off.

"You have to come now," she informed Em urgently, "Dr. Tenenbaum's called a meeting."

**Please review. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"There is one Little Sister left in the whole city," Dr. Tenenbaum's voice echoed through the main entrance of the Orphanage. Allie led Em through the double doors and joined the edge of the group of girls, now whispering excitedly to one another. Em stood on her tip-toes, attempting to see the doctor over the taller girls. Brigid appeared to be standing on a wooden crate. _Almost like the one I hid from Allie and Mr. Cohen in… _Em thought to herself.

"What's going on?" she hissed to Allie, who had no trouble looking over the others.

"Shut up and you'll see," the other girl replied. The first nervous whispers of the former Sisters and escalated to questioning shouts, and it took Dr. Tenenbaum a while to calm the group down.

"Once she has been successfully moved to the Little Sister's Orphanage, we can… go back," Brigid finished. Allie turned towards another girl. It was a child Em had not seen before, with long black hair pulled into a neat ponytail and a pretty blue dress. She was almost as tall as Allie. Em wondered for a minute if they were friends. A new feeling came over her, one that she had seldom experienced. She frowned, attempting to come up with its name. _Jealousy… What if that girl doesn't want me to be friends with Allie? _ She thought.

"Go back? From where?" Allie asked, obviously perplexed.

"What do you mean?" Clara called out to the doctor. Surprisingly, Brigid gave the child a small smile.

"What I mean, is that you girls shall see the sun again," a collective gasp echoed through the girls, but it could not compare to the volume of Allie's excited squeal.

"We're going to the Surface?" she shrieked excitedly, her blue eyes shining with happiness. Dr. Tenenbaum nodded.

"That's right, little one. You girls are going Topside." Allie turned towards Em enthusiastically, her words spilling out in a breathless whisper.

"Do you know what this means?" Em smiled, looking up at her new friend happily.

"It means we're going home."

Once the rest of the girls had returned to their quarters, Allie took Em's hand and dragged her into Dr. Tenenbaum's office. The doctor was sitting at her desk, a pen in one hand. A suitcase packed with binders and loose paper was beside her.

"Yes?" she asked Allie, her voice sounding a bit strained.

"What about her?" Allie prompted, gesturing towards Em. The doctor sighed. "If we return to the Surface, how is she going to consume Adam?"

"I have yet to figure that out. Please return to the others. They need you, Allie," the doctor replied, scribbling in a notebook.

"I'm not finished yet," Allie said boldly. "How exactly do you plan to get Topside?"

"There is a Bathysphere in Fort Frolic. I've hacked it, and we can use it now. Andrew Ryan's feeble machinery is easily cheated," was her answer. Both girls stared at the doctor in admiration. But Em's mind was still racing. _What if I don't make it?_ Allie seemed to read her thoughts.

"I hope you're close to figuring out Em's uh, issue," she told the doctor. Brigid looked up, meeting Allie's eyes.

"What do you think I'm doing now?" she asked. Allie shrugged.

"Any number of things. For instance: packing up your records, planning our 'escape', writing a journal entry-" she was interrupted the by the doctor's laugh.

"Don't worry, either of you. I almost have this figured out," she explained, looking at Em in particular. The five-year nodded in understanding. This time, she led Allie away.

"It's going to be just fine," she told her friend confidently. As they pushed open the door, the doctor called out,

"Now wait just a moment; I'm not finished with you two." Both girls turned to each other in surprise. Neither of them had suspected that Brigid had something else to say. "As you are aware," she continued, "there is one other Little Sister left in Rapture. I have seen her before, in fact, I saw her while chasing you, Emily." Em's face reddened. She was a little ashamed at her past behavior.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"No need to apologize," the doctor replied, waving her hand impatiently, "I understand. Now, as for our last Little Sister, I cannot be certain of her current location. However, I do know that her Big Daddy is a Rumbler, and those are usually not hard to find." Em and Allie nodded. Em remembered the pair; she had run past them in her attempt to escape Dr. Tenenbaum.

"Is there something we can do?" Allie asked. The doctor shook her head.

"Not at the moment. However, when I find her, please make her feel welcome." Allie nodded slowly as Em led her from the office. As they left, Em tugged Allie in the away from the girls' quarters.

"Hey, what're you doing?" she exclaimed. Em turned towards her and put one finger to her lips. She led Allie down the hallway.

Despite the obvious deterioration of Rapture, the Orphanage looked perfectly fine. The former Sisters and the doctor had cleaned it up, and it looked almost the same as it had before the civil war. The hall was carpeted red, which hid most of the bloodstains, and the walls had been scrubbed. As the pair neared a potted fern, (which had somehow, inexplicably survived) Em yanked her friend behind it.

"I have an idea," she whispered. Allie gave the other girl a devilish grin, hidden in the darkness.

"Does it involve breaking the rules?" she asked.

"If one of the rules here is to never leave the Orphanage, then, yes, it most certainly does," Em replied.

"I'm in," Allie said instantly, "The doctor never gets mad at me for sneaking around anyway. What's the plan?"

You know that last Little Sister?" Em asked. Allie nodded impatiently, her facial expressions masked by the shadow of the plant. "Well, we're going to find her."

"You just got here and you already want to leave?" Allie asked. Em shrugged.

"Rapture is my home," she replied, "It's yours too, no matter what Dr. Tenenbaum says." Allie blinked. She had lived in Rapture longer then Em had, and she had always considered the place to be hell. But Em's words made her reconsider. She had grown up in Rapture almost her whole life, and the city had scared her more than it had comforted her. Yet… the city contained all her memories, the good and the bad. It seemed insane to call Rapture home, but Allie found herself thinking this all the same. Em was right. She was the smartest five-year old Allie had ever known.

"I guess you're right," was all Allie managed to put into words.

"Of course I'm right," she proclaimed, her voice rising a little above a whisper, "No matter how messed up this place is, we all call it home for now. But nobody stays in the same place forever. In helping Dr. Tenenbaum, we'll just be speeding up the process." Allie rolled her eyes, but she could not stop the smile that appeared on her face.

"We're friends, right Em?" she asked. Em nodded, although her thoughts flashed back to the black-haired girl with the blue dress.

"Of course we are. Now, do you want to find that Little Sister or not?"

The two girls slipped out the front entrance. The door was locked, but a wooden post had smashed through the wall, leaving just enough space for two small girls to slip past. Allie was in the lead, her hand ablaze. There was no need to use the vents when you had Plasmids.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Where are we?" Allie asked, her voice echoing. She had succeeded in keeping the fear from her tone, and her companion appeared to be calm as well. Em knew where they were, of course. The magnificent steel locomotive was a dead giveaway, along with the iron gates and security booth. The metal benches that were supposed to be filled with citizens awaiting their ride were now empty and spattered with blood. Em turned away, nauseated by everything without her Sister Sight.

She had lived in Rapture for a little over a year, and countless Gathering with Mr. Bubbles had helped her build a mental map of a large portion of the city. She knew just about every twist and turn, every hallway and hotel, every park, and every diner. It surprised her that Allie, who had lived in Rapture nearly her whole life, could not approximate their location. It took her a while to speak up, and for good reason.

"We're in the… train station," Em whispered, shaking involuntarily. Allie looked down at her smaller friend, frowning in confusion at Em's obvious distress.

"What's wrong?" she asked the five-year old, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Splicers were few and far between, or so it appeared. Rapture was safer than it had ever been since the 1959 Civil War. The two girls had successfully left the Little Sister's Orphanage a few hours previous, and they had encountered no foe. Rapture was silent.

Em's eyes drifted past the security booth, towards a deserted, sheltered corner of the station. In the dark shadows, she could just barely make out a hulking metal shape. She had known that it would be there. Allie followed Em's gaze, although she could not quite make out what the younger girl was staring at. Wordlessly, she took Em's hand and attempted to lead her to the frightening shadows.

"No!" Em screeched, her tiny voice repeating itself in an endless, frenzied echo. She planted her bare feet into the cracked cement ground, refusing to follow Allie. Her eyes were wide with fear.

"There's nothing to be afraid of at the moment," she comforted Em, "The Atlantic Express Train Station is relatively safe." Em shook her head wildly, her messy brown hair falling over her face. "Fine then, stay here," she replied, hurt.

As Em watched her friend approach the shadows, she felt heat prickle behind her vision. Unexpected tears cascaded over her cheeks, but she wiped them away angrily. _I have cried enough, _she thought. She waited in silence while Allie examined the area. But the ten-year old was rooted to the spot, unmoving. Em looked away, lost in thought.

When Allie returned, she said nothing of the deceased figure in the shadows. Instead, she pulled a red hair ribbon from her dress pocket and tied Em's hair in a tight ponytail. The five-year old reached up and touched it lightly with one finger. _It matches my dress, _she thought, admiring Allie's kindness.

"We should keep moving," she told Em, gently leading her away. Em nodded, casting one last reluctant glance at the shadowed area. She wasn't afraid of what was there; only the memories. Her eyes misted over as she recalled Gathering.

_Mr. Bubbles gave a low groan. Em giggled, grabbing his gigantic gloved hand, tugging him earnestly. She wasn't frightened by his massive size or the glowing portals on his helmet. She was deaf to the screams of pain, the misery, and the danger of Rapture. _

_ "Here's the Angel!" she cried, crouching down beside a 'sleeping' man. He wore a fancy suit and was covered in beautiful red rose petals. He had a pair of white wings on his back and pretty blue butterflies danced over his head. Gently she inserted her syringe into his shoulder, the world transforming around her. The man became a dead 'Splicer'; his fancy suit was only ripped and torn clothing. Blood was seeping from a fresh wound on his belly. Em gasped, choking back tears, just as she always did during Gathering. When the hypo was full, she yanked it out. The world became beautiful once more. She smiled grimly, thanking the Angel. _

_ "I'm all done, Daddy!" she called to her protector. He was busy play-fighting with some fancy noblemen. Em waited until they had fallen asleep before running over to Mr. Bubbles. He picked her up and placed her on his shoulder with extreme care. She yawned. _

_ "I'm ready for dream-time, Mr. B." _

"Where should we go?" she asked, slowly returning to reality. Allie shook her head slowly.

"I have no idea," the ten-year old replied with brutal honesty. "We should have thought this out more." Although Allie said nothing referring to Em, the five-year old felt her cheeks flush with shame. It had been her idea to look for the last Little Sister, and if either of them was to become injured, it would be her fault.

For a while neither girl spoke, and soon they found themselves entering a large auditorium. Countless rows of empty, red leather seats faced a large, exquisite stage. Perhaps there was a time when it had been beautiful, but it was no longer. The red curtains were slashed and frayed, the color of them nearly hiding the blood. Several disabled security bots lay upon the ground, their propeller lights dimmed. Bodies littered the aisles, splayed in awkward positions. Em felt bile rising in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, blocking the sight, but not the smell. She felt weak. The five-year old sank down to her knees, letting out a small whimper. Beside her was a shell casing. Her distorted reflection shone in it.

An object was thrust into her hands, and it Em a moment to realize that it was an Adam hypo. She brought the bottle end to her mouth, drinking the red liquid despite its awful taste.

"What is Adam?" Em whispered to Allie, who was kneeling beside her. It was not the first time she had asked this. Allie's light blue eyes were glazed in sympathy, and it occurred to Em that despite the difference in age, she and Allie were very much alike. The same hair. The same eyes.

"I can't tell you," Allie responded evenly. She broke eye contact to smooth the wrinkles in her blue dress.

"Sure you can," Em responded. Her words were strong, but her voice shook. It was obvious to her what Adam really was, but for a while she had been able to push it to the back of her mind. Now she wanted… confirmation.

"I'll tell you when you're weaned off of it. When you're normal again," Allie said smoothly. Em blinked, stung by her words. Her condition as a Little Sister had always been referred to as something temporary; a gift; something she could not control. Allie had basically called Em a freak.

"Fine," she snapped, standing up, "Lie to me if you want to. See if I care." She took off at a run, ignoring Allie's screams of protest.

Rapture flashed by in a whirl of color: blues, black, greys… and red. Em ran, the hard calluses protecting her feet. She remembered running from Dr. Tenenbaum, the rough concrete floors cutting her feet. It was amazing, even to her that she had adapted to survive the harsh atmosphere of Rapture. The forgotten the city beneath the waves. She was small. She was fast. And, if need be, she was vicious.

Her Adam hypo tucked under one arm, she ran from Allie. She wasn't really sure why she was; Allie had always been good to her. Then she realized. She wasn't running from Allie. She was running from herself. Despite the gruesome, bloodthirsty Splicers and the towering, metal Daddies, there was really only one monster in Rapture.

She was the monster, the monster alone under the sea.

**Please review. A special thanks to NinjagoZ for commenting so much! **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

_ Pant. Pant. Keep running; she'll get your point sooner or later! _Em thought to herself as she sprinted farther and farther from Allie. Em's intentions were clear: tell me what I want to know or I will leave. It was a childish thing to do, but Em figured it would prove to be effective.

"Stop!" the ten year-old screeched hysterically, struggling to keep up with Em. Allie was no longer a Little Sister, and she did not have the experience Em had with running. She stumbled a few times in her pursuit, but continued none the less.

But Emily just ran faster. Her tiny, now dirty feet slapped against the concrete, strength coursing through her. It was this kind of exercise that gave her a sense of power; a wisp of freedom. It was the kind of moment that gave her life meaning. Her red dress billowed behind her, glinting in the faint light. She felt color rising to her cheeks, but she refused to stop.

When would everyone realize that Em was more than just a little five year-old infected with some terrible parasite? She was in no way a small child anymore; she was something altogether different. She was a girl forced to mature far too soon.

"When will you realize…?" Em whispered.

"Stop Em, STOP!" Em looked back, resentment shining in her bright blue eyes. It was a big mistake to do so. She crashed full-speed into something big. Something metal. It felt as though she had shattered every bone in her body. The impacted jolted her backwards, and she ended up on the ground in a crumpled heap. Pain coursed through every nerve in her body. She felt dead. Then she heard Allie's terrified scream, returning her to reality.

_ STOMP. STOMP. _

Heavy footsteps. A distinct, unmistakable groan. Slowly, Em lifted her head, her vision blurred and swaying. A gigantic, hulking shape towered in front of her, blocking what little light shone in Rapture. _Is this what I crashed into? _She wondered, struggling to reassemble her thoughts.

"What is it, Daddy?" asked a cheerful, high-pitched voice. _It can't be… _

"Em, get out of there now!" Allie screeched, her voice hardly registering within the child. Despite her condition, Em managed to scramble to her feet, swaying slightly. She stumbled forward unintentionally, trying to steady herself.

"Don't let it get me, Daddy!" the voice wailed. The cheerful, happy tone that it once had was replaced by a frightened one. Blearily, Em found the owner of the voice, staring into its wide, yellow eyes. It couldn't be. And yet it was. A girl, perhaps a little older than Em herself, was crouching behind the leg of a tall metal beast, trembling with fear.

The Little Sister. The last Little Sister in all of Rapture.

Surprised, Em stepped backwards. She fell down, staring up at the creature. The Rumbler looked like a badly constructed scrap metal heap, its face elongated, and a turret launcher on its back. Its "eyes" glowed red.

"I'm not- not gonna…" Em croaked, raising a trembling hand. The Little Sister let out a piercing scream. Em scooted back, her eyes wide. She spotted her Adam hypo a few feet away on the ground. She reached out and grabbed it, holding it up for the Little Sister to see.

"Daddy!" the Little Sister wailed.

"See?" Em whimpered, "I'm just like you." But the Little Sister just screamed.

"Don't let 'em get me!" The Rumbler let out a challenging roar, stepping forward. _He thinks I'm going to hurt his Little Sister! _Em realized, finally forming clear thoughts.

"Don't move," said a quiet voice behind Em. _Allie. _Em did as she was told, staying as still as possible. That was when the first shot rang out. From behind the two girls, a nasally voice shouted,

"Hey, over here you great oaf!" the bullet had caught the Rumbler on his head, leaving a good-sized dent in his helmet. The beast turned towards the shooter, growling threateningly. It maneuvered around Em and Allie, who had been standing directly behind her small friend. Allie took the opportunity to yank Em to her feet and drag her away by one arm. She shoved the five year-old behind a concrete pillar.

"Stay here. I mean it this time," Allie ordered, fixing Em with a long stare. She nodded.

"Where are you going?" she croaked.

"I'm going to help whoever shot that thing," she proclaimed, "He'll get himself killed if I don't," she added scornfully, darting away. Em peered around the pillar, watching curiously.

A man was standing not far from the Rumbler. He wore a white, collared, button-down shirt and a pair of grey chinos. He seemed reasonably well-dressed for someone living down in Rapture. He had dark brown hair and a cowlick just above his right eyebrow. In the dim light it was hard to see his face, but he seemed to have a rather large nose. Em knew that she recognized him from somewhere, but she could not put a name to his face.

As she watched, the man dropped his shotgun, trading it for a grenade launcher instead. He fired twice, the explosions nearly knocking the Rumbler off his feet.

"Come and get some, big guy!" the man cried. The Rumbler roared, launching a mini turret. The tiny weapon was short-lived, however, as it was immediately engulfed in flame. _Allie. _

The man looked in surprise towards the direction the flame had come from. He smirked when he realized who had used Incinerate.

"Two against one, trash heap. Give up already!" the man sneered.

"No one messed with MY Daddy!" the Little Sister proclaimed. Em felt a lump in her throat as she realized that she had once said the same thing.

"Yeah, well, I got news for you kid. I just did," the man snapped, dropping the empty grenade launcher and grabbing a machine gun that had been strapped to his back. "Look out, fire girl," he barked to Allie, who scurried behind him as he pulled the trigger, sending a spray of bullets in the Rumbler's direction. Em ducked behind the pillar, her heart pounding wildly. She heard the Little Sister scream, and a sense of dread washed over her. _Oh no, she didn't get hit, did she? _Em thought, sickened. Relief washed over her when she heard the Little Sister speak up again.

"Time out! Time out! You get a time out!" The machine gun stopped firing, causing the man to swear loudly. Em looked around the pillar. The Rumbler growled menacingly.

"Outta ammo!" the man bellowed. Allie stepped forward, determination on her face. She held out one arm, ready to scorch the Big Daddy… but all that came out was a few sparks. Allie let out a moan.

"I don't have any Eve left!" she wailed. Em knew what she had to do. She scrambled to her feet, stumbling out from behind the pillar. The Rumbler launched another turret, but the man was able to crush it with a wrench. Calmly, Em raised her right hand. She felt electricity pulse through her veins. She concentrated, building up energy… then she let it loose. A bolt of lightning hit the Rumbler with extraordinary power, freezing the Big Daddy long enough for the man to reload his grenade launcher.

"ENOUGH!" he thundered, firing three times, each explosive impact sending the Rumbler reeling backwards. On the third hit, the Big Daddy stopped. He let out a low, drawn-out groan. Em looked away, knowing what was about to happen. She had already seen it once. There was no need to see it again.

"Daddy, wake up! Please!" a shrill cry cut through the air. Sobs followed. Em turned around, prepared for what she was about to see. Cautiously, she approached the smoking body of the great metal giant. Beside it, a little girl in a green dress cried. _He was just doing his job. Why'd we have to kill him? _Em thought, anger surging through her. But she already knew the answer, and there was no use in arguing. It had to be done. She looked up, meeting the eyes of her companions. For the first time, she got a good look at the man's face.

"What do we do with it?" the man asked, absently scratching the stubble on his chin.

"Rescue her, of course," Em answered. The man folded his arms across his chest.

"And how might we do that?" he asked in his nasally, sarcastic voice. Em shrugged. "And, while we're talkin', you might as well explain who you are," he said. Allie spoke up,

"We're former Little Sister ourselves, sir. We're from the Orphanage." The man frowned.

"Those big monsters and there annoying little charges were always bad news," he spat, "Good thing I got here in time or you two woulda been stuck to the bottom of his oversized boots."

"I think we all helped," Allie replied coldly. The man rolled his eyes as the Little Sister continued to sob over the body of her Protector.

"Yeah, yeah. Guess we all did our parts, eh?" he agreed sullenly. Allie nodded in approval. "But the question still remains, what the hell do we do with that one?" he asked, pointing to the grieving Little Sister.

"I know," said a thickly accented voice, coming from behind the three Sisters and the man. Em and Allie whipped around, facing the woman.

"Dr. Tenenbaum!" Allie cried. The man turned pale. He took a step back. She eyed him, amused. She shook her head.

"Well well well, I never expected to see you again. Perhaps your confrontation with Subject Delta changed your mind?" Tenenbaum said, smirking triumphantly at the man. He nervously tugged at the collar of his shirt.

"I-well, well-I," he stuttered.

"I'm glad to see that you've reconsidered your choices in life. It is nice to see you again, Mr. Poole," Brigid smiled. Of course. Em had always known who the man was. He was the man in the ticket booth. The supposedly selfish, greedy murderer.

Stanley Poole.

**Please review. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

"It's you?" Allie gasped, taking a step away from Stanley. The man shrugged, staring down at his feet. Em looked up at him, her eyes round. Stanley Poole had made himself infamous in Rapture, particularly by flooding Dionysus Park. Everyone inside had been killed. She was more curious then scared.

"Why did you help us if you are who you say you are?" Em asked hesitantly. The man's frown deepened, shadows dancing across his face.

"Spared my life, he did," Stanley whispered. Em tilted her head.

"Who?" she asked. He did not reply in a hurry. He licked his lips nervously, his eyes darting around. Almost like a rodent. His arms were crossed behind his back.

"The Alpha Series… Johnny Topside, I think was what they called him. He got ridda all the big ones around here and Rescued all their charges too," Stanley muttered, "Guess I kinda owe him for not shootin' me in the head." Dr. Tenenbaum was staring at him with a satisfied smirk. As if she had known all along what Stanley would do. For a moment Em thought that she would say something to him, but instead she whipped around to face the two Little Sisters, her eyes narrowed in disappointment. Em wished she could disappear.

"As for you two, you're in a lot of trouble. If it weren't for Stanley, you would have both been killed," she snapped coldly.

"Would not!" Em protested, "The Big Daddy only attacks if he or is Little Sister is harmed! We didn't do anything to either of them!" Brigid rolled her eyes.

"Are you quite sure about that?" she asked, her tone dark and threatening. Em nodded. "Is that how it happened, Mr. Poole?" Stanley jumped, surprised to be called upon by the great doctor herself. He hesitated.

"From what I could see ma'am, the little one," he gestured to Em, "crashed into the big guy. He probably woulda beat her up real good if me and fire girl hadn't shown up."

"So that's how it began," the doctor mused. "Why exactly did you run into a Big Daddy Emily? They are not that hard to miss." Em felt her face redden. She nervously scuffed the floor with one foot.

"I wasn't looking where I was going, Dr. Tenenbaum," she mumbled.

"Obviously. But why were you running in the first place. Were you being chased by Splicers?" the doctor asked.

"She running from me," Allie announced, "Because I wouldn't tell her what Adam was."

"No!" Em snapped indignantly, "I was running because you called me a freak!"

"I did not!" Allie retorted, her eyes flashing.

"Yes you did!"

"Prove it!"

"Okay, I will!" Em spat, accusation in her bright blue eyes, "Remember this? _'I'll tell you when you're weaned off of it. When you're normal again.' _You said I wasn't normal!"

"I never said you were a freak!" Allie protested, remorse in her tone.

"You implied that I was not a normal human being, therefore inadvertently labeling me as a freak!" Em hissed.

"Whoa there, kid. You speak pretty advanced for one so young." Stanley intervened, raising an eyebrow. Dr. Tenenbaum sighed, shaking her head.

"It's a long story, Stanley," she explained, "I think that both of you need to stop. Arguing is getting you nowhere," she continued. Both Em and Allie glared meaningfully at each other. "Apologize." Allie stepped forward begrudgingly.

"Sorry," she muttered. "I didn't mean to say it that way."

"S'okay. I'm sorry too," Em whispered. She meant it, the guilt crashing down on her. The doctor clapped her hands.

"Well, I'm glad we got that sorted out rather quickly. Now, as for our Little Sister…" all heads turned towards the girl in the green dress, sobbing softly and clutching the gloved hand of the dead Rumbler. Gently, the doctor knelt down beside her. The girl looked up fearfully.

"Get away from me!" she screeched.

"Hush child; it is okay. I am here to help you," Brigid soothed. Em blinked. She remembered the doctor saying something similar to her. It felt like years ago now.

"No! Go away! DADDY!" the child howled, the tears running freely down her cheeks. The Little Sister scrambled back, attempting to hide under the Rumbler's arm. Em's heart lurched as she remembered doing the same thing. She felt pity for the girl, and she knew that somehow she had to help. She pushed forward and sat down in front of the Little Sister. Despite the girl's obvious dislike of the doctor, she said nothing to Em.

"I know it doesn't look like it, but I'm a Little Sister too," she began, holding up her Adam hypo for the girl to see. "My Big Daddy is an Angel now too, so my eyes don't glow anymore. But he is always with me. Yours will always be with you too. We can help you hide from the Splicers, but first you have to let Dr. Tenenbaum heal you," she explained gently.

"You mean you-you never g-got Rescued?" the Little Sister whimpered, her hazel eyes round. Em shook her head.

"It didn't work," she replied sadly. "Will you trust us?" the Little Sister looked at each person, giving herself time to consider before replying. _We must look like a bunch of misfits, _Em mused, _a doctor, an ex-convict, a former Little Sister and… well, whatever I am. _After a while, the Little Sister nodded. Em stood up, letting Dr. Tenenbaum reach the child. She gave Em a grateful smile.

"What's your name, little one?" the doctor asked. The girl trembled, unwillingly to answer.

"I-I don't remember," she whispered.

"We can fix that," Brigid told her. "My files indicate that your name is Lila Smith." The girl's eyes widened.

"What else do you know?" she asked, excitement flashing momentarily in her eyes.

"Not much, I'm afraid," the doctor said. "We can fix that too, if you just let us help." The girl nodded slowly. She gently set her Adam hypo on the ground.

Brigid then proceeded to place her hand on Lila's forehead. The Little Sister closed her eyes as Dr. Tenenbaum's veins began to glow with a white light. The Little Sister's veins began to glow as well, and her eyes opened, bright light overcoming them for a brief moment. Then, just as quickly as the light had appeared, it vanished, leaving Lila Smith standing bewildered and perfectly human.

Beside Em, Stanley Poole took a deep breath, his eyes wide. He had never seen something like this before, obviously. Em watched intently as Lila looked up at Dr. Tenenbaum with gratitude.

"Thank-you," she murmured. Brigid nodded, unable to speak through the wide smile on her face.

_This is what was supposed to happen to me. _

**Please review. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

The five survivors of Rapture trudged wearily towards the direction of the Orphanage. Only Lila appeared to be full of energy, bouncing up and down and chattering nonstop.

"What's the Orphanage like?" she asked Em excitedly. The Little Sister yawned, and replied,

"It's nice. You'll see when we get there."

"I wonder what Topside's like. I don't remember much but I bet it's different now," Lila continued. Her tiny voice faded into the back round as Em came to terms with her situation.

Dr. Tenenbaum had been wrong when she had said that Lila Smith was the last Little Sister left in Rapture. There was still one more waiting to be Rescued. Her eyes didn't glow, her skin wasn't a dull grey color, and her Protector had become an Angel long ago. As long as she consumed Adam to survive, Em was still considered herself a Little Sister. How could she go Topside with the others if her only source of nutrients were contained in…_ blood? _Would Dr. Tenenbaum leave her behind? The thought caused Em to literally stop in her tracks, causing Allie to collide with her.

"Hey, watch it," she grumbled, going around Em. The Little Sister sighed, following her friend. She still wasn't sure that she forgave Allie for what she had said, but she knew that her actions had been irresponsible. It was lucky that Stanley had come when he had, although Em's pride prevented her from admitting it.

The man was walking beside the doctor, his head lowered, his gait a mere shuffle. Occasionally he glanced around, as though he was afraid of the shadows. But every sane person in Rapture had the same fear. His weapons were strapped to his back, and every step he took caused them to bang together with a loud clanging sound. Em was still unsure of Stanley, but the doctor seemed to trust him, and if she did, then Em would too.

Dr. Tenenbaum carried herself as if she was the most important person in all of Rapture. Then again, she probably was. Em hoped that the doctor was not still angry with her. She had only wanted to help, and besides, she had found the Little Sister. She conveniently disregarded the fact that in doing so she had collided with its Protector and had nearly got herself killed. _What if she leaves me behind just to punish me? _Em thought to herself sadly.

As for the newest former Sister, Em found her to be quite interesting. One moment she had been a sobbing mess and the next she was a cheerful, normal child. Little Lila seemed to have forgotten all about her Big Daddy. Em wondered if she would forget hers.

When the group reached the entrance of the Orphanage, the doctor took a key from her pocket and placed it in the lock. It turned with a satisfying _click_, and the door swung open. The five entered, Em being the last. She made sure to close the door behind her. Although the Splicer population had dwindled, there was no telling what might be lurking in the shadows. Rapture was still dangerous, and for more than one reason.

The main entrance to the Orphanage was empty. All the Rescued Sisters were in their quarters, sleeping comfortably, with the exception of three.

"Allie," Dr. Tenenbaum began, "Please show Miss Lila where she can wash herself and get clean clothes. Make sure she has a place to sleep as well." Allie nodded, gently taking Lila's hand.

"C'mon, it's not far," she said in a friendly voice. Em watched the pair enter the sleeping area, envious of their sudden friendship. Beside Em, the doctor had her arms folded across her chest, as though she was expecting something to burst through the doors at any moment.

"Ten, nine, eight," she muttered softly.

"Why are you counting?" Em asked. The doctor shook her head fondly.

"Just wait for it," she replied, a small smile on her face. Em frowned. Wait for what?

"Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one-"

"DR. TENENBAUM!" the double doors burst open, smacking against the walls with a loud bang. In seconds the main entrance was full of squealing, shrieking girls, all yelling for the doctor and jumping into her arms.

_Oh. _

"Where were you?"

"We missed you!"

"There's a new Little Sister here! Have you seen her? Who is she?" were only a few of the many questions directed to the doctor.

"Settle down, kids!" the doctor shouted. At once, the room became shockingly quiet. Em stood beside Brigid, her arms folded behind her back. The silence did not last long, however.

"Who's he?" Clara asked, pointing to Stanley. Mr. Poole appeared to be the only uncomfortable person in the whole Orphanage. He could not stand still, and his eyes kept darting to the exit.

"This is Mr. Stanley Poole," the doctor announced, motioning to the man at her left. Chaos ensued, each child screaming something different. The former Sisters may not have been educated on Jack Ryan or Subject Delta, but they all knew who Stanley Poole was.

"Why is _he _here?"

"But he flooded Dionysus Park!"

"He's a murderer!"

"He's going to kill us all!" The shouts ripped through the once-calm air, and it took all of Em's self-control to not cover her ears.

"GIRLS!" Dr. Tenenbaum shouted, and the room became as silent as death. No one said a word. The doctor continued in a calmer tone, "Mr. Poole has had a change of heart. He saved both Alexandra and Emily from a Rumbler, and it was because of his actions that we were able to Rescue the last Little Sister." Silence.

"So… we can go to the Surface now?" a little girl asked. The doctor nodded.

"We will say good-bye to Rapture soon," she announced. Cheers escalated, and Em could not help but grin herself. But her smile faded quickly. _What about me? _

As the excited squeals and shrieks continued, Em thought she heard a scuttling, scraping noise, almost as if something was crawling across the ceiling. She looked up, but saw nothing. She turned her attention back towards the doctor.

"What about him?" a former Sister asked, and everyone became quiet once more. Em noticed that it was the black-haired girl who had spoken with Allie earlier. She was pointing at Stanley.

"He is a friend now. He may accompany us Topside if he wishes to do so," Brigid replied. Stanley wasn't the only one who looked stunned.

"I-I'm not really sure that I can do that, doctor," he stammered, nervously tugging on his shirtsleeves.

"Why not, Mr. Poole?" she asked calmly, although she did not appear surprised.

"I don't really feel that, after all I've done, I deserve to go back there," he explained, "I have made Rapture my home, but it is also my prison. I will stay here… until the place floods." The Little Sister gasped. It was obvious that the fate of Rapture was something they never dared to speak of.

"In that case, this belongs to you," Tenenbaum replied, taking a gold key from her pocket. There was no telling where she had got it. Stanley frowned.

"What is this?" he asked. Brigid smiled.

"Your actions today proved that you are worthy of having it, Mr. Poole. You are the leader of Rapture now," she explained.

"Wait, ma'am, you don't mean to say-" he began, but the doctor interrupted,

"Rapture belongs to you, Mr. Poole." Stanley took the key, inspecting it carefully.

"I don't know what to say, doctor," he replied, looking for stunned than ever.

"You don't have to say anything," she said kindly. Stanley nodded, pocketing the key and turning towards the group of girls.

"I think I'd better go now," he muttered. "Thank-you, Dr. Tenenbaum." She nodded in reply as he turned around and headed towards the exit. He stopped halfway, looking back to meet Em's eyes.

"Be careful, electric girl. Don't run into any more Big Daddies, okay?" he told her, smiling.

"Okay," she said shyly. As she watched, he took the key out of his pocket.

"Fitting that a captain goes down with his ship," he remarked. And then he was gone.

**Please review! **


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

"Tell me again what happened," Allie demanded, her eyes narrowed. Em swallowed nervously. She had never seen her friend as angry as she was now. The two girls were hiding behind the same potted fern they had hid behind before. It was the only private place in the whole Orphanage. There were now exactly seventeen Sisters living there, Em being the last true Little Sister. There was never a quiet place, especially with little Lila around. She was full of energy, and had made plenty of friends on her first day.

"Dr. Tenenbaum offered Stanley a ride Topside with us. He refused, so she gave him this weird gold key thing, and he left," Em said.

"That key rightfully belongs to Jack Ryan. He used it to stop the destruction of Rapture when it was owned by his father," she snapped.

"Why are you so mad about this? It doesn't concern us anyway," Em retorted. She admired Stanley Poole to some degree, but it was obvious that Allie did not feel the same way. She felt the need to defend the man who had saved her life.

"Em, this isn't about honor or decency! Whoever owns that key controls the whole city! Andrew Ryan used it to send the Splicers after Jack. That key could destroy Rapture in a matter of minutes!" Allie cried hysterically.

"We have to trust Dr. Tenenbaum. She believes that she did the right thing, so we should too," Em replied. Allie shook her head.

"I guess we'll find out if she made the right decision," she muttered, stalking towards the doctor's office.

"Hey, wait!" Em called out fretfully. Allie sighed and turned around.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Em bit her lip, her head down. She heard Allie walk over to her. She put a comforting hand on the five year-old's shoulder. "I really am sorry about what I said, Em," she whispered. Em shook her head.

"This isn't about that," she said, "It's about me. Will I ever be able to go Topside with you and the others if I'm still a Little Sister? Why did you lie and say that I was Rescued?"

"Dr. Tenenbaum's working on it, trust me. I lied to protect you. If the others found out what you were… well, it would just be bad," Allie answered reassuringly. Em fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Okay," she whispered.

"Come with me. We can ask her how far she's come. I'm sure it won't be long before she figures something out," Allie said invitingly. Em nodded, following her older friend into Dr. Tenenbaum's office.

The office was unrecognizable. For once it was clutter-free. The shelves were completely cleared, the wastebaskets were full, and all that remained of the doctor's personal items was a large suitcase. It was sitting on top of her desk, which was also cleared of everything.

When the two girls entered, someone behind the desk moved the overstuffed suitcase to the side. It was the doctor, of course. She gave them a tired smile.

"What can I do for you girls?" she asked. Allie stepped forward immediately, not giving Em a chance to speak up.

"You gave Stanley the key to Rapture," she stated, meeting the doctor's eyes challengingly. The doctor blinked calmly.

"What about it?" she asked.

"Why would you do that?" Allie exclaimed, her hands balled into fists. "One good deed doesn't ensure that the man won't decide to destroy us all!"

"Alexandra, do you really believe that I would have given that key to _Stanley Poole _without good reason? He has done more than save you two. He helped me to reprogram the Big Sisters, mostly so he could rid his precious Train Station of the Big Daddies. He has spared us supplies as well. Subject Delta changed that man's life," Brigid explained. Allie just stood there, looking stunned.

"Well then," she replied, admitting defeat, "I guess you had good reason." The doctor just nodded. She had been busy scribbling what appeared to be notes with a dark blue fountain pen the entire conversation.

"I would never put any of you girls in danger if I could help it," the doctor continued, "You are my responsibility, and I care about each and every one of you."

"What about me?" Dr. Tenenbaum looked up. "Do you care about me?" Em asked through gritted teeth.

"Of course," Brigid said, sounding surprised.

"Then why can't you do something?" Em wailed, "Am I going to be stuck like this forever?"

"I can fix this, Emily," the doctor reassured her.

"When?" Em screamed, "When can you fix it? Adam tastes awful, Angels are rotting carcasses, this whole city is a disaster waiting to happen, and I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE! You should just leave me behind with Mr. Poole. I can't survive without Rapture."

"Oh Emily, you've been through so much," Brigid said soothingly, standing up and walking over to the young girl. She kneeled down in front of her, meeting Em's eyes with determination. "You are strong and you are smart. I would never leave you behind. All seventeen of you girls and myself will leave Rapture. You will not have to stay here forever."

"But how can I go Topside if I'm a-a… a vampire?" Em asked, once again frowning at her unexpected choice of words.

"What's a vampire?" Allie asked.

"Never you mind," Dr. Tenenbaum replied brusquely. She placed a reassuring hand on Em's shoulder. "You are not a vampire, Emily."

"I don't even know what that is, really," Em mumbled. "Sometimes I remember things…"

"It does not matter then. They do not exist," Tenenbaum replied.

"Why can't you fix this?" Em wailed miserably, in a hurry to change the topic.

"I _can _fix this," the doctor replied, her hazel eyes wide and determined. Her voice was calm, and Em found herself believing the doctor. But she still had doubts.

"When?" she whispered, disgusted by how needy and pleading her voice sounded.

"How about now?" was the doctor's unexpected answer.

**Please review! **


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

"Beautiful, isn't it?" the man marveled at the magnificent work of art that stood before him. It had been elaborately constructed with materials only suited to his taste. The plaster statues were perfectly still. It was a glorious moment in time, captured forever. "Fitzpatrick, you were always a disappointment. Waste, waste, waste!" he continued, talking to no one in particular. His eyes were fixed to one of four portraits held by the encased Splicers. "Oh Finnegan, I always detested you. Another waste of extraordinary talent," he murmured, his gaze drifting to the second picture. Then to the third. "Silas Cobb, another useless excuse for a human being… _reborn as art_. Mr. Rodriguez," he continued, moving to the last picture, "How you hated everything I did… no matter, the past is in the past! You four are no longer pitiful drones of everyday life; you are at your best! I have done you a favor," he growled. "Do you not hear me, men? I HAVE DONE YOU A FAVOR!" he roared, sweat trickling down his forehead. He casually extracted a bloodied handkerchief from his pocket, mopping up the perspiration. He breathed heavily, his body shaking. His usually perfect makeup was smudged, but for once, he did not care.

"Sir," hissed a voice behind him. The man whipped around, glaring at the creature before him.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" he screeched. The creature, a filthy Spider Splicer dressed in only torn rags, hardly flinched at the man's harsh words. He walked on all fours in an ape-like fashion, his face sagging on one side. Dried blood seemed to cover every inch of the creature. His hands had been replaced by rusty metal hooks. His eyes were wild and crazed, but at the same time were misted over like a drunk man's. A jagged scar ran over his right eyelid and down his face. He could no longer be considered human. Splicing had destroyed him.

"Sir, I have been listening…" he murmured, his eyes glazed.

"Spying more like it. Go on, moth-eater," the man grumbled. The Splicer felt disgust writhing throughout his very being. He detested the man before him, but he had supplies. He had Adam.

"The woman who cares for the little Adam Harvesters is planning to take them Topside," the Splicers hissed, circling his master cautiously. His metal hooks scraped the stone floor, the eerie sound echoing through the Hall.

"Why would I care about that?" the man snapped, turning his attention back towards his masterpiece. The Splicer had thought about this as well. Those little Harvesters surely had Adam, and if they were to leave Rapture, there would be none left. Of course, his master had little patience for such things. He was a Splicer himself, but he preferred his art to Adam. So of course, the Spider Splicer had another plan.

"Remember what he wanted. No one is to leave Rapture," the Splicer rasped, meeting his master's annoyed gaze.

"What who wanted?" the man grumbled, hardly paying any mind to the creature encircling him.

"Andrew Ryan," the Splicer murmured. The man spun around, his face contorted with wild anger, his eyes narrowed hatefully, his fists clenched.

"NEVER SPEAK THAT NAME WITHIN THIS HALL!" the man howled. His breathing became quicker. More beads of sweat ran down his face, but his momentary rage caused him to ignore it.

"What would he have wanted you to do, master?" the Splicer hissed.

"SHUT UP, YOU FILTHY MONSTER!" the man roared. He flung an empty metal paint bucket at the creature, but he dodged it easily. "YOU DESPICABLE MOTH-EATER!" The Spider Splicer continued nonetheless, not at all intimidated by the man's outburst.

"He would have wanted you to stop them. You have weapons, master. Give my people your weapons, so we can stop them," at this, the man was speechless. He reconsidered. "Remember what his son did. He left Rapture and took with him five little brats. He _killed_ his own father. Do you want to be like _him_? Like _Jack_?" the Splicer continued.

"Are-are you sure… he-he would've wanted this?" the man whispered.

"It is all Mr. Ryan could have ever asked for from you," the Splicer reassured the man. Unlike the others, Splicing had not addled his brain as much. He was cunning and ruthless. He could persuade the others to do his bidding so easily. Perhaps it was because he had been insane before. He had given up being an arsonist long ago; Adam was so much more addictive.

"Take them, then. Take them all. Those little moths must never see the light," the man instructed.

"Thank-you, master. Your donation is much appreciated," the Splicer grinned, showing rows of rotting teeth. He let out a long, shrill whistle. The Hall was suddenly flooded with hundreds Splicers of every kind, their maniacal voices echoing and filling the whole room with insane noise. Every wall, even the ceiling teemed with Spider Splicers, while others congregated on the ground. "Although," the Spider Splicer continued, "Had you not agreed, you wouldn't have had much choice in the matter." Before his master could reply, the Splicer vanished into his mass of minions.

"In Fleet Hall there are weapons," the man shouted over the din. The crowd of Splicers raced towards the hall, screeching triumphantly. The man turned back towards his masterpiece. "I will not fail," he promised himself, "This is for Andrew Ryan… this is for Rapture!"

"Sir," the man turned around to face the Spider Splicer.

"Yes?" he asked impatiently.

"Call me General," the Splicer insisted. The man snorted, shaking his head in disgust.

"You are nothing more than a moth-eater and you shall be just that until the day you die. Then you will be nothing. Adam may have weakened me, but I know what a general is," the man responded coolly. The Splicer narrowed his beady eyes.

"You may find yourself regretting this, Sander." The man turned away.

"I suppose," was all he said.

**Author's Note****: I know, I know. I'm evil. You must wait longer for last chapter's major cliffhanger. SANDER COHEN RETURNS! **


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

If but for a single moment, Emily Brimfield was filled with hope and excitement. But the feeling died quickly, struck down by disbelief and distrust. How, after what seemed like forever, could this be finally happening? The answer? It couldn't. She folded her skinny arms across her chest, attempting to appear closed and serious, but she could not steady her voice.

"But… " she faltered, "how-why… why now?" Beside her, Allie was gaping in astonishment. Em could not help but wonder if her friend was feeling the same way about the doctor's words. But Dr. Tenenbaum only smiled, in a warm, friendly way.

"Little one, do you remember what I told you?" she asked. Em shook her head. In the time since she had come to know the doctor, she had learned so much that it was impossible to recall one single detail. "Alexandra, do you remember?" Tenenbaum questioned. Allie frowned.

"Care to elaborate?" she asked. The doctor rolled her eyes.

"Can you remember what I told you about Emily's bond?" At this, Allie perked up, her eyes brightening.

"Oh, yes. I remember now. Her bond was defective, which means that when her Big Daddy died, unlike the rest of the Little Sisters, her bond was ultimately broken and she was freed completely," Allie explained.

"But isn't that what happens to all the Rescued Sisters?" Em asked nervously. The doctor shook her head.

"Not at all. When most Little Sisters are separated from their Protectors in death, their bonds are still as strong as they ever were. Their Gatherer characteristics never fade. They cannot leave their Protector's sides, and they will stay there even if it guarantees their own deaths. Usually, it does." Em was lost in thought. She remembered her Big Daddy's death, and she remembered staying by his side, weeping and hiding from the rest of Rapture. Had she stayed with his body, would things have been different? She thought some more.

"Are you saying that… because I-I didn't care enough to stay with him… that this is all my fault?" Em asked, her tiny voice shrill. Her bottom lip trembled. She had known that leaving Mr. Bubbles was a bad idea from the beginning. _She_ had broken their bond, not the Big Sister!

"No, Em, that is not-" Dr. Tenenbaum began, but Em cut her off.

"Because I did! I did care! I loved Mr. B.!" Em wailed. The pain was back, as raw and sharp as it had been before. "This is my fault then," she sniffed as tears dripped down her cheeks. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Allie's concerned face. She turned away.  
"Emily," the doctor whispered, "I never said that you did not care. I know that you miss your Daddy. But he is always with you. That is what I tell all my girls, because it is true. He cared about you, and that feeling, that love, will never, ever die. The reason that you are like this is because our dear most-likely deceased friend Dr. Suchong did not properly form your bond. But, if he had, you might be dead right now. In fact, you would most definitely be dead." Em blinked, looking up at the doctor with her big, beautiful blue eyes, still wet with tears.

"But-but if you need the bond to Rescue me, then-then I'm stuck like this f-forever!" she moaned. "Isn't that worse than being dead?"

"I agree that being a Gatherer forever would be a fate worse than death, but luckily for you, I can fix all of this," the doctor assured her.

"How?" Em demanded, her arms crossed once more. Beside her, Allie sighed. Em pretended not to hear.

"Yes, Alexandra?" the doctor's voice was crisp with annoyance. "Do you have something to add?"

"The answer is simple," Allie snorted, "All you have to do is reactivate your bond." Em stared at her in disbelief.

"You can't bring back the dead!" she cried, but Dr. Tenenbaum was looking at Allie with pride and approval.

"I am afraid that Alexandra is correct. We will have to repair your bond for a brief moment, just long enough for me to Rescue you. This does not require your Protector to be alive," the doctor replied.

"What do you mean by 'you're afraid'," Em asked, her eyes narrowed. Brigid sighed, running her finger through her hair.

"We cannot be in the Orphanage for this. We have to enter the city, the Train Station, to be specific."

"Why?" Em asked. She remembered what was in the Train Station… and she had no desire to return. The fight with the Big Sister, the confrontations with Splicers… all common sense assured her to stay put.

"I will explain."

The ground was wet. It wasn't 'puddles after the rain' wet (whatever 'rain' was); it was nearly a pond. Dark, murky water rose around Em's ankles. She bit her lip as she realized that they did not have much time. The glass dome ceiling of the Train Station was spider webbed with cracks, some wide enough to send a constant jet of water to the slowly flooding room below. The whole place was illuminated in blue light. Every so often a school of fish would pass overhead, shadowing what little light there was. Em squinted in the dim light. The sudden change amazed her. Already, Rapture was headed towards an irreversible fate.

The three of them- Em, Allie, and Dr. Tenenbaum- were making their way towards the darkened corner where Em had seen…

The water splashed at their feet, although the doctor had instructed them to make as little noise as possible. It was possible that Splicers were still lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike down their next victim. The doctor had brought a wrench and a pistol, as well as several more rounds, a few First-Aid kits, and a couple of EVE hypos for Allie and Em. However, if the plan followed through, Em would never need them again.

The Ticket Booth was empty (no surprise there), and no one questioned the absence of its owner. His whereabouts were of no concern.

When they reached the shadowed corner of the Station, Em had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. She felt a warm drop of blood trickle from the wound. Her fists clenched, she stayed rooted to the spot, ankle-deep in salty sea water. He was there.

It was saddening, to say the least, that dead bodies in Rapture tended to fade in with its dark, demolished style, but they did. The dead were a common sight, and ADAM was even worse. But the giant, rusted creature lying in the Train Station seemed to stand out where nothing else did. It was a Bouncer. Em's Bouncer.

He was just the same as she had remembered him. Every detail was contained in her vivid memory, from the once-glowing portals of his helmet to his gigantic metal boots. He was lying on his left side, the front of him facing the three survivors of the city. A steady stream of salt water flowed from above, hitting his helmet directly. The way it streamed from his grated helmet was almost beautiful. It was as if he had meant to rest there for always. Em turned away, her eyes closed for a brief moment. When she opened them, she spotted his drill, which had been washed clean. _Are you an Angel, Daddy? Where are you when I need you? _She thought to herself. She shivered involuntarily.

Beside Em, Allie was eyeing the Bouncer with admiration and respect. She was utterly silent.

Em found herself growing impatient. She had brought her ADAM hypo with her, and she raised it to her lips in an effort to calm herself. She coughed, choking on the coppery liquid. There was no way she would ever get used to her condition.

"What now?" she rasped, wiping the ADAM from her lips. The doctor sighed.

"This is where it becomes difficult," she explained. "To continue, I must know something. If you can remember correctly, what made you feel closest to your Protector?" Em felt memories resurface, and one in particular seemed to overrule the rest in both substance and clarity.

_KNOCK. KNOCK. Em giggled, putting a hand to her mouth to stifle the sound. She leaned forward and peered out the vent. Standing there was Mr. Bubbles. _

_ "Good morning, Mr. B.!" she said cheerfully, allowing him to pick her up and gently set her down. She grabbed his massive gloved and tugged it earnestly in an attempt to lead him. _

_ "Come on, Mr. B.! I can hear the Angels singing!" she cried. He let out a low groan. He picked her up again and set her on his shoulder. She sighed, rolling her eyes. She breathed deeply, inhaling the scents of the city. In the distance, she could distinguish the sweet smell of ADAM. She raised her tiny, pale and pointed. _

_ "This way, Daddy!" The Bouncer let out a grunt of acknowledgement and trudged forward. The city was eerily silent. The only sounds audible were the far-off shouts of gentlemen and the drip drip drip of water._ _Although she refused to admit it, the silence frightened her. Mr. Bubbles seemed to understand. He moaned and groaned a little louder, and she felt a bit better. Then she remembered. It didn't have to be quiet, did it? She began to sing. _

"_There's a land called LILLYPOPPY!_

_And living there is the LILIPOP!_

_I'll go there soon with MR. BUBBLES!_

_And we'll search the place from TAIL TO TOP!_

_And if we find no TATTLELAMBIE!_

_And if I eye no PORKINOT!_

_Perhaps we'll dine on HAM AND JAMMIES!_

_If we can't find the LILIPOP!" _

_ Singing always made her feel better. Mr. Bubbles grumbled and moaned along. She laughed, feeling fearless. No matter what, her Daddy would always be there for her. Always. _

The memory faded, leaving Em in exactly the same place as before. Except the water was deeper now. She felt a lump in her throat. She wished that her Daddy was with her. _Always. _

"Well?" Dr. Tenenbaum prompted. Em blinked, slowly returning to reality.

"I have to sing," she whispered. Allie frowned at her.

"What?" she asked. Em did not answer. Instead, she carefully waded through water that was halfway to her knee. She stood next to her Protector, feeling heartbroken and lost. Was this what Mr. Bubbles would have wanted? She hoped so.

The doctor kneeled down beside her. She had the red bottle in her hand. Em felt her steady heartbeat begin to race. She began to shake.

"Whenever you're ready," the doctor whispered. "Don't be afraid." Em nodded, her red hair ribbon bouncing up and down. She pushed a loose strand of hair out of her eye.

_I promise that I will never forget you, Daddy. Thank-you_, she thought silently. Before beginning, she was reminded of a song. It was the same one she had sang shortly after her Daddy died. Taking a deep breath, she began.

_In the house of upside-down_

_Cellar's top floor; attic's ground._

_In the house of upside down_

_Laughing cries, and smiles frown._

_In the house of upside-down_

_Found is lost, and lost is found._

"Not strong enough," the doctor replied when she had finished. Em blinked open her eyes, only just realizing that she had closed them.

"What?" she whispered.

"You need a stronger song, or memory of a song," Tenenbaum answered. Em frowned. She searched her memories desperately, until she found one adequate in strength. It was a song she had sung as she and Mr. B. had been attacked by Splicers. This time, when she began, something felt different.

"_Mr. Bubbles, Mr. Bubbles_," she felt a strange sensation inside, almost as though she was being awoken from a deep sleep.

_ "Are you there? Are you there?"_ The world changed. The desolate, flooded Train Station became a magnificent ballroom, covered in tapestries. The flooded ground became a filtered fountain. The water was cool and clean. Her Big Daddy became an Angel. Her Sister Sight had returned!

_ "Come and bring me lollies," _The whole place was cast in warm light. Some of it was coming from her eyes. _Her eyes were glowing. _

_ "Come and bring me toffies," _The nice woman beside her placed a hand on her forehead. 

_ Teddy bears, teddy bears." _The lady's hand began to glow. Em giggled. She was glowing too. It was so fun to sing! But where was Mr. Bubbles? Another little girl was there too, but she did not look happy. Wasn't she having fun?

That was when it hit. A blinding flash of white light.

_"GOOD GIRLS GATHER! I'M A GOOD GIRL! I SMELL AN ANGEL, LET'S CATCH IT! ADAM, DADDY, HERE! WHO WATCHES OVER SLEEPING ANGELS? I DO, I DO… _

_ X HIS EYES, X HIS EYES! NO ONE HURTS MY DADDY! NO! _

_ DADDY, WAKE UP! PLEASE! _

_ NO, DADDY, HELP!"_

_ DR. TENENBAUM ALLIE MR. COHEN CLARA OW HURTS SCARED ALONE STAY AWAY HER FAULT BIG SISTER ADAM EVE ELECTRO BOLT STANLEY POOLE LILA KEY TO RAPTURE ANDREW RYAN JACK SUBJECT DELTA ELEANOR SOFIA LAMB HURTS FREAK MONSTER LITTLESISTERLITTLESISTER __**DADDY DADDY HELP ME!**_

…

…

"Em?"

**Author's Note****: Please review! It really means a lot. **


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

"Em?" the little five-year old was lying motionless in the doctor's arms. Limp. Lifeless. Allie felt her blood run cold. The bond had been reactivated successfully, and Dr. Tenenbaum had tried to Rescue her. For a few brief moments, Em had looked like a true Little Sister again. Her eyes had glowed yellow and her skin was pale grey. She had abruptly changed back when the bond was broken once more, but had she been Rescued successfully? She had spazzed out involuntarily, shrieking names and sobbing. It was almost as if she had had a seizure. The child gave no sign of life. She was unconscious. Allie turned away.

Although she had not known the little five-year old for very long, it felt as if they were somehow connected. Em was her best friend, something she had never had in her life before. The thought of her dying made Allie sick to her stomach.

Almost as sick as what happened next.

Screams and shouts were coming from the locomotive tunnel. Allie frowned, at first believing it was her imagination, but the noise continued, escalating. Panic seized her, and she turned back to the doctor. Brigid was hunched over Em's tiny frame, checking frantically for any sign that the child was still breathing.

"Dr. Tenenbaum!" she wailed.

"Allie, please, not now," the doctor snapped. She could not hear the scraping metal and maniacal screeches echoing through the tunnel.

"Dr. Tenenbaum, Splicers!" the ten-year old moaned. At this Brigid whipped around. Her eyes widened in shock.

"I thought for sure that most of them had died out!" the doctor cried, "This does not make any sense! Those monsters cannot reproduce. Their genetic makeup has been so warped that-"

"We have to go now, before they see us!" Allie interrupted, seizing Brigid's hand and pulling her to her feet. In her other arm Dr. Tenenbaum cradled Em's lifeless body. Allie felt a lump in her throat. Em was her best friend.

_Please let her be okay. _

The two of them took off at a run, Dr. Tenenbaum dragging Allie behind her. They splashed through the water, leaving any concern of noise behind. Soon the small girl was drenched in salty sea water, the soaked hem of her dress slapping against her legs. Allie had always hated the dress, and had long ago decided that there was apparel far more suitable for the conditions she lived in.

_Pff… yeah, like scuba gear, _she thought to herself.

The screams sounded like they were coming from all directions. How many Splicers were there? Hundreds? Thousands? They were running down a spacious hallway in the direction of the Orphanage. Allie had never been so afraid. She ran faster, wheezing and coughing. She had never been much of a runner.

The sound of hundreds of pairs of feet running through the shallow water was comparable to a tsunami. Allie dared herself to look back. If anything, it was worse than she had expected. Thuggish and Brute Splicers, a least a hundred of them, were pursuing the three on foot. Spider Splicers occupied every available wall space, screeching and clanking there metal hooks.

Allie couldn't help it. Besides, they already knew she was there. In fact, it seemed that the only reason the Splicers were there in the first place was to catch them. So she screamed. The doctor clenched her hand tighter around Allie's. She whimpered in response.

"Allie!" the doctor panted.

"What?" she cried. Stumbling forward. She caught herself in time and continued on.

"My belt! I have EVE hypos!" Brigid shouted over the din.

"But why? We'd be wasting them! There are too many Splicers!" Allie wailed.

"Just do as I say!" the doctor instructed, letting go of her hand. Allie moaned, struggling to keep up. The doctor was right in front of her, holding a hypo where she could reach it. Allie snatched it and jabbed the syringe into her arm. Sparks shot from her fingertips. Warmth spread through her body.

"Now-now what?" Allie gasped. The doctor pointed to an area ahead of them. The ground was sloping upward, and their destination was not flooded with water.

"When we get out of this wretched water, there-there should be an oil slick on the ground. After we pass over it-"

"I light it up," Allie finished. The doctor nodded. They approached the gasoline puddle with frightening speed. Allie could see that it was hardly a puddle at all. The flammable liquid was poured across the whole span of the hall and extended in the other direction for about five feet. It even looked as though some of it was dripping from the walls. It wasn't a spill at all; it was placed there intentionally. Allie silently thanked Dr. Tenenbaum for her preparedness.

They ran through the oil, splashing it on their clothes. Allie's feet turned black with the goo. The intoxicating smell reached her nostrils, but she did her best to ignore it. When they had passed the spill, Allie whipped around, facing the oncoming Splicers. She gave them an evil smirk, but inside she was trembling with fear. She raised her hands, shooting a continuous jet if flame towards the slick. It caught fire immediately, spreading even faster. Allie helped it along, lighting up as many parts as she could. Within seconds, a ten-foot high wall of fire roared to life. It crackled and hissed, spewing smoke. The Splicers behind it screamed in fury. A few of the unlucky ones who had been leading the pack were screeching in pain as the flames licked their clothes and boiled their skin.

Allie stared in horror at the chaos she had created. She had never been this ruthless or brutal. The smoke stung her eyes, but she looked on, her lower lip trembling. She had never considered how human the Splicers were, but seeing so many of them go up in flame made her stomach twist and her eyes water from more than just smoke. A hoarse voice hissed from behind the burning wall.

"This is not over! You ADAM Gatherers will not leave this city!" Allie blinked in surprise. ADAM Gatherers? There weren't any left.

"Allie!" the doctor cried from behind. It was like waking from a dream. Her movements were slow and subtle. She could barely hear the doctor's voice over the roar of the fire. She turned slowly. Dr. Tenenbaum was waving her in the other direction. At once, Allie snapped out of her trance and stumbled towards the doctor.

Down another hall, up a flight of elegant steps. Allie could hardly concentrate on her surroundings. Her vision was swirling and her mind was foggy. A small elevator shaft was ahead. The doctor pulled Allie into it after her, slamming the metal grating shut. Hands trembling, Brigid smacked the button with the upward facing arrow key. They sank to their knees, the doctor cradling a still-unconscious Em in her arms.

Several floors later, they stumbled out, panting heavily. Sweat dripped down Allie's forehead. She reached up to wipe it away. The doctor took her hand once again and dragged her forward with as much urgency as before. They were right where they needed to be. She jammed the key into the door to the Little Sisters Orphanage and swung it open. They ran in hurriedly, shutting the door behind them and making sure to lock it tight.

Fifteen pairs of eyes were staring at them in shock.

Once Dr. Tenenbaum had successfully cleared the room and sent the girls back to their quarters, she was finally able to examine Em. Curled up on a pile of dirty towels, the five-year old looked weak and helpless. She looked nothing like she acted. Allie swallowed hard, bracing herself for bad news.

"I think that she will be okay," Dr. Tenenbaum replied after checking the girl's vital signs. Allie sighed, relief washing over her. Had something happened to her young friend, Allie wasn't sure if she would ever be the same again.

"Thank God," she whispered.

As Allie silently rejoiced, Em gave a tiny moan. Allie's head snapped up, peering at her friend anxiously. As she watched, the five-year old blinked open her eyes. Allie stared at her, stunned. Em's eyes had stopped glowing with the yellow light of a Little Sister's long ago, but her blue eyes had always seemed abnormally bright. Now they were dimmer, a little more grey then blue. They were nearly identical in color to Allie's. It suited her.

"What happened?" she rasped, coughing. The doctor gently helped her into a sitting position. She was smiling broadly.

"We did it, Emily," Dr. Tenenbaum whispered, "We did it." Em's grey eyes widened in disbelief.

"Wait, do you mean to say-"

"Yes!" Allie interrupted, laughing in relief, joy, and all the good that had happened. "We Rescued you, Em!"

**Author's Note:**** Please review! **


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Em absentmindedly tightened the straps of the bag slung over her shoulder. Her tiny hand slid over the metal clasp, making sure that it was secured tightly. Inside were numerous cans of dried fruit, beans, and distilled water.

She was balanced on top of a long-abandoned hotel, overlooking part of the city. Already the weight of the bag was beginning to burden her, even though she had only been out a couple hours. The doctor had been right; she was good at this job.

It had been several days since she had been Rescued, and she was feeling the best she had ever felt in a long time. The sweet taste of food, not ADAM, was a blessing on its own. But she had earned more than healthy eating habits from Rescuing; she had earned freedom. Em had always felt trapped as a Little Sister, but now, those feelings had faded, leaving her filled with pure joy.

She also discovered that she had been wrong about Rescuing. She had not forgotten Mr. Bubbles and the care he had given her. In fact, the memories of her birth family had become clearer, and no memories had faded. She had been wrong about everything.

Em carefully sat down on the rooftop, her feet dangling over the edge. She had traded her red dress for a pair of grey cargo pants and a T-shirt. The less visible she was, the better. She wore tennis shoes to protect her callused feet, as the doctor had instructed. In fact, the only resemblance she bore from her time as a Gatherer was the red hair ribbon that Allie had given her. It was almost as if it had never happened. But of course, it had. She had memories; dreadful ones that made her hug herself and shiver faintly. She had relived those experiences in the past days collecting supplies for Dr. Tenenbaum.

Allie and Clara did the same, but they each took different routes to scavenge the necessities needed. The doctor had chosen her specifically. Normally only the older girls were picked for the kind of work she was doing, but the doctor had made it perfectly clear that Em's high intelligence and running abilities made her an eligible applicant for the job.

Em sighed quietly, exhausted by the work. She had encountered no resistance from any Splicers, even though Allie had warned her of a supposedly massive Splicer army. She carried no weapons at a risk, deciding that for her size any kind of weaponry would only be a hassle to tote around.

As she sat there, the automated speakers crackled to life. **"A RAPTURE REMINDER: APPROACHING A LITTLE SISTER IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. DO NOT APPROACH THE LITTLE SISTERS." **Em blinked. There were no Little Sisters left. There was no need for the warning.

Carefully Em descended from the roof onto the top balcony. She pushed open the door to one of the guest rooms. As she made her way to the hallway, she did her best to avoid looking at the mangled body on the bed. The hall was deserted, but it was littered with guns, rounds, and other numerous broken items. She sidestepped as much of the junk as she could so as not to disturb anything that might have been lurking in the shadows.

As Em stepped out into the street, a familiar song began to play over the intercom.

_"Somewhere, beyond the sea, somewhere, waitin' for me…" _Em decided that anywhere beyond the sea would be fine, so long as she would never have to return to Rapture.

The city was a ghost town beneath the sea. Every building and every shop was a dilapidated mess. Doors hung open uninvitingly, glass windows shattered, leaving the shards to crunch and snap underfoot. Benches and streetlamps were overturned. Cigarette packs, half-full (or less) bottles of liquor, knives, wrenches, and other various things cluttered the ground. Yet the whole city was almost completely silent, save for the occasional announcement over the loudspeaker. Every once in a while Em would pass a flaming garbage can, and she would wonder to herself, _who did that, if there is almost no one here? _

By the time she reached the Orphanage, she was struggling greatly beneath the bag's weight. She knocked on the double doors and stood back. The right door creaked open as Dr. Tenenbaum stepped out to greet her young gatherer.

"How much, do you think?" she asked anxiously. In one hand she held a radio. She had been desperately looking for a signal in the past days, although Em was not exactly sure why.

"Enough," Em gasped, letting the bag slip off her shoulder and land on the ground with a _thump_. The doctor frowned slightly.

"There will never be enough," she murmured as she bent down to pick up the bag. She seemed pleasantly surprised by the heaviness of it. "Good job, Emily," she said calmly and motioned for her to come inside.

The Little Sisters Orphanage was a frenzied buzz of noise. Each child had been assigned a particular task, such as sorting food. The excited squeals never once ceased, and Em found herself wanting to block her ears from the ecstatic screams. It was part of the reason why she had accepted the job from Dr. Tenenbaum. The city, though somewhat dangerous, was eerily peaceful.

"Is Allie back yet?" Em shouted to the doctor over the din. Brigid shook her head. She gently took the girl's hand and led her into the quiet of her office. The doctor sat down at her empty desk, leaning back into the chair and running her fingers through her tangled hair.

"She has a longer route today," Tenenbaum explained, "But she should be back soon." Em nodded. She had another question.

"When are we leaving?" she dared to ask.

"If all goes as planned, I can start taking small groups of girls to the Bathysphere tonight," Brigid replied.

"Tonight?!" Em exclaimed, her eyes widening. The doctor merely nodded.

"Go on now; I have some work to catch up on. I expect the others will enjoy hearing the good news." Em felt ready to burst with pride. Dr. Tenenbaum had instructed her to tell the others! _She_ would be the one to tell them when their lives would change forever.

When Em re-entered the main hall of the Orphanage, she was surprised to find Allie and Clara pushing through the crowd of Former Sisters and adding their findings to the supply. She waved her hand over the crowd, and Allie grinned in return.

"HEY!" Em shouted, surprised at how loudly her voice carried. At once the former Sisters stopped yelling, staring at Em expectantly. Their obedience was partly due to their former lives and partly due to the fact that the doctor seemed to favor Em. They had a bit more respect for her.

"I have great news," she continued, "We're going to start loading the Bathysphere tonight!" At first the shock brought nothing but absolute silence. However, it did not take long before excited screams, shouts, and squeals filled the Orphanage.

Allie made her way over to her young friend and wrapped her in a hug so strong that she was lifted off the ground. Em laughed. It occurred to her that she had not done so in a long time. After feeling frightened and enslaved for so long, it was a beautiful thing to smile and laugh at the good things in life.

"How'd you and Clara do?" Em asked as Allie set her down.

"Oh, uh, well… probably not as good as you," Allie winced. "There was one First-Aid kit that I found and a couple cans of beans."

"I found a few Pep Bars and some water," Clara put in as she joined them. She pushed a loose strand of blond hair from her eyes.

"It doesn't matter. We have enough," Em reassured the two girls. The ten-year old sighed.

"I hope so."

… … …

Four of the former Little Sisters, Em, Allie, Clara, and Lila, stood in Dr. Tenenbaum's office, waiting impatiently. Each child carried a bag filled with supplies. The doctor was sitting at her empty desk, her brow knotted in worry.

"You four are the first drop-off. Take the vent in the main hall," she instructed. The four girls nodded obediently and calmly walked out of the office. The main hall was completely silent, and the rest of the former Sisters were standing perfectly still and staring at Em's group. They were divided into small groups as well, and they too carried bags full of supplies. A path was visible leading straight towards the vent. Em felt her heart lurch as she remembered seeing the Orphanage for the first time through it. She had been a newly-orphaned Little Sister at the time, and had fled the area almost immediately. It was hard to believe that so much had happened in such little time.

"Good luck!"

"Be safe!"

"Come back soon!" the former Sisters whispered as they passed. One by one, Em, Lila, Clara, and Allie climbed into the vent, just as they had done with their Protectors.

The tunnel was just the same as Em had remembered it; smooth-surfaced, dark, but comforting. No words were exchanged between the girls as they slowly made their way to Fleet Hall. Em wondered briefly if Mr. Cohen was still there with his creepy "masterpiece." She dismissed the thought, hoping that the man slept at that hour, or had at least negotiated with Dr. Tenenbaum.

This time, upon noticing the brightly lit neon signs of Fleet Hall, Em made sure not to fall from the vent. Memories of her past injuries flooded her mind. Since being Rescued, Em could not heal with the superhuman speed she had before.

Em was the last to climb down. Clara and Allie immediately took off at a brisk pace towards the Bathysphere, while Lila simply stood, staring at the intriguing lights in awe.

"Whoa," she breathed. "This is amazing!" Em nodded, as she was transfixed by Fleet Hall as well.

"I heard that they have things like this everywhere Topside," Em told the other girl.

"You think so?" Lila asked, her voice sounding thrilled. The two girls headed off to join Allie and Clara, walking slowly to take in the beauty of the Hall.

Fleet Hall was almost entirely quiet. It appeared as though Sander Cohen was nowhere to be found. Em breathed a sigh of relief. The man was insanely intelligent, but his sociopathic tendencies frightened her more than a rampaging Brute Splicer.

The Bathysphere was near the back of the hall. It was larger than the typical transportation submarines, and it was spacious and luxurious. Em could have sworn that the seats were made of leather. It was obviously a private Bathysphere, designed for the actors who used to perform at the Hall before the Civil War. It appeared to be in good condition, with no dents, scratches, or cracked windows. It had been protected from Splicers by a metal door that served as an opening to the launch area.

Allie and Clara had opened it up and were piling their bags in the back. Em and Lila did the same, making sure to close and latch it after they were done.

"We can head back now," Clara told the group. They headed for the vent and used it to crawl back towards the Orphanage.

They were greeted by enthusiastic cheers and nervous smiles from the next group to head out.

"Well done," the doctor congratulated them. "After each group returns from filling the Bathysphere, we'll be ready to go Topside." The idea seemed so longingly pleasant and impossible that Em could not help but wonder if it was too good to be true.

**Author's Note****: reviews are greatly appreciated. **


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

It was one-thirty. Em could hardly keep her eyes open. She felt her eyelids drooping shut every so often, and it was a constant internal battle to stay awake. She sat on the floor next to Allie, who appeared to be just as tired. The two girls were huddled together in silence, just like the others, waiting for the last drop-off team to return.

Most of the other former Sisters had dozed off somewhere in the main hall of the Orphanage after returning from loading the Bathysphere, leaving all the beds unoccupied. The loading process had gone well, with no interference from any Splicers. This came as a surprise to Allie, as she had kept insisting that a massive Splicer army posed a threat to their mission. Dr. Tenenbaum, suspiciously enough, had said nothing on the matter. Em was not sure what to believe.

Em sat in utter silence listening to the constant _tick tick_ of the clock. She rested her chin in her hand, blinking slowly. It was not long before the quiet, rhythmic sound lulled her to sleep.

… … …

_"Big Sister doesn't want you playing with me. Unzip 'em Daddy, unzip 'em! No one messes with MY Daddy! Daddy? DADDY!" _

Em jolted awake, breathing heavily. Why hadn't the dreams stopped? How could she still remember every detail of that horrid day? She sat still, dazed and saddened, one hand on heart. Her pulse raced. The dream had been so clear. The Big Sister was just as Em had remembered her, from the glowing portal on her helmet to the straps of her boots. Her slim, elite figure casting on eerie shadow behind her, her ADAM syringe clasped in one hand… None of the other Rescued Sisters showed discomfort brought about by the memories. Why should they, if Dr. Suchong (or whoever had taken over his duties) had properly formed _their_ bonds? They had probably forgotten their time as Little Sisters. They could look forward to finding their families, and never once turn back. Em felt a burning jealously growing inside her, threatening to show through her now-calm behavior. She too, was remembering more of her birth family, and was looking forward to meeting them, but at the same time…

"I know what you're going through," said a familiar voice. Allie was sitting beside Em, staring at her intently. She had drawn her knees up against herself and was hugging her legs close to her. It was obvious that she felt endangered, that or very uncomfortable.

"No you don't, Allie," Em whispered, closing her eyes tightly.

"But I do," the girl insisted. "Didn't I ever tell you?" Em shook her head. She had no recollection of any such conversation, and if she and Allie had spoken previously on the matter, she would have surely remembered it. Allie frowned. "I thought for sure that I had told you."

"Told me what?" Em questioned, unsure of the direction Allie was headed. For a moment Allie was perfectly quiet. Her brown hair obscured any sight to her face, and it was impossible for Em to decipher the girl's emotions. She fiddled with the clasp on her pocket.

She too had been instructed to wear darker, less visible clothing, the same as Em and Clara. The other girls still wore the typical Little Sister dresses, but as gatherers, clothing of that sort was, as Dr. Tenenbaum had stated, "impractical".

When the ten-year finally spoke, it was with great effort and obvious grief.

"I, like you, Em, had an imperfect bond… I suppose Dr. Suchong and Dr. Tenenbaum's successors were not even half as brilliant as their forerunners," Allie paused. She seemed to be in deep thought. Her voice had a slightly off tone to it, as though she was talking more to herself then to her young companion. "I never had the "Sister Sight". I always saw Rapture for what it truly was… a cracked fishbowl. Except, in this instance, I was more afraid of the water coming in then the water leaking out. And, in this tank… there are sharks."

…

When the last drop-off team had returned, the doctor quietly woke the rest of the sleeping girls, save for Em and Allie, who were sitting in complete silence, sleep far from their minds.

It was approximately two-thirty A.M., and hardly any of the small children had enough energy to function properly. There was much moaning, groaning, yawning, complaining, and eye-rubbing before all seventeen girls were ready to depart. It was several minutes before all of them were standing on their feet, but each young face held determination and bravery. Most of them had lived at the Little Sister's Orphanage for far longer than Em had, and yet they seemed willing to go. Em found herself wondering how their compliance came so easily. Rapture was far worse than any nightmare, but at the same time, is it ever easy to leave any place you call home, no matter how awful the circumstances?

"Say farewell to this home, little ones, because we are going to find a new one. Today, all of us -yes, all of us- will watch the sun rise!" Dr. Tenenbaum proclaimed. Her short speech was answered by many ecstatic cheers, free from any tiredness that had once been there.

But, Em noticed, Allie was standing perfectly still, her face expressionless, and her eyes dead. Was it her confession to Em that grieved her, or did she sense an inescapable fate? For a brief moment she considered questioning her older friend, but the others were already beginning to leave, crawling one-by-one through the vent, and Em had no choice but to follow their lead. Taking one last look behind her at the one place she could call home in all of Rapture, Em latched onto the vent and pulled herself into the shadows.

Fleet Hall was dark. The bright, colorful, neon signs had ceased to glow, and not a single spark remained. It was true that the signs had seen their day, but was it just bad luck that had burned them out when they were needed most, or was it something more sinister? Anxious whispers broke out among the children, and some of the younger ones began to cry. Beside Em, Allie let out a spark, her hand engulfing in flame. This calmed the group, strangely enough. However, it was hardly an adequate amount of light to see by, and the only thing illuminated by the fire was the girls' faces.

"Girls?" called a voice from the darkness. Em sighed in relief when she recognized the doctor.

"Over here!"

"Dr. Tenenbaum!"

"What happened?"

"Where are all the lights?" the children's anxious wails echoed through the whole Hall, leading the doctor right where she needed to be.

"Little ones, everything is perfectly fine," she soothed as the former Sisters ran towards her, arms outstretched. "Alexandra? Are you there?" Brigid asked. Allie pushed forward, her raised hand still crackling and spitting sparks.

"I'm here, doctor," she replied.

"Good," the doctor said, sounding relieved. "I'm going to need you to open up the Bathysphere-"

But Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum was interrupted by a strange buzzing sound as the lights flickered to life was more, and Fleet Hall was illuminated with the same brightly colored lights as before. Murmurs of confusion spread through the group.

It was Em who saw him first.

He appeared to be dressed in similar attire, the same clothes she had first seen him in. His black suit, slicked back hair, and moustache were unmistakable. The way grand, formal way he carried himself was unlike anyone Em had ever seen. He began to slowly and theatrically descend the staircase, a look of self-congratulation plastered upon his face, which, per usual, was covered in coat of much-too thick stage makeup.

"Mr. Cohen?" Em called out tentatively. At once, everyone else ceased their present activity and turned towards the man. Every single girl knew that name by heart, a name so feared that none of them said a word. Dr. Tenenbaum was looking at the man, pale-faced and in obvious worry.

"Ah, there you are once again, little moth! 'tis such a pleasure to have your company a second time, though this time, I do so hope that your metal Daddy is occupied elsewhere," he cried, his words directed at Em, who was shaking so badly she worried that she would lose her balance. A sharp elbow connected with Em's ribcage.

"How come you didn't tell us you met Sander Cohen? The guy's a psychopath, Em!" Clara hissed into her ear. Em didn't answer.

"What do you want, Sander?" Brigid asked, her words crisp and guarded. As she spoke, she gently herded the children towards the Bathysphere. She never once turned her back to the man as she shoved fifteen of the girls into the container. Em and Allie managed to dart out of the way as the Bathysphere suddenly slammed shut. The doctor had not done this, and she stood perplexed, attempting to open it, although it was perfectly clear that it was not to be opened. There was no other option but to stand up to the strange artist. Whatever Sander Cohen had in store was not something Brigid could handle alone. If she needed help, Em felt perfectly comfortable being there.

"Ah, interesting that you ask this of me, Miss Tenenbaum. That is no way to treat your fine host, but, as you wish. My business here is relatively simple, doctor. My fine friends require ADAM to sustain their feeble minds, and look! You have quite a lot of little ADAM-Gatherers! Perhaps you could spare them a few pints, hmm?"

"Absolutely not, Cohen. These children are under my protection. Let us leave, and no harm will come to you. And furthermore-"

"Ah, but as you would rightly agree, doctor, you are on my domain. And, sorry as I am, I regret to inform you that you have no choice in the matter. Neither do I, as my friends are rather… reckless," Sander explained as he came to the ground level. In one hand he held an exquisite cane, which he took the pleasure of leaning on nonchalantly.

"What do you mean, Sander?" the doctor snapped, her eyes narrowed. The once-great artist grinned in a most ugly way. From the shadows, a crazed-looking Spider Splicer appeared at his side.

"We need ADAM, doctor, and Rapture has hardly any to spare," the creature rasped. He stuck to fingers in his mouth and let out a shrill whistle. It was surprising that he was able to do so, given his morbidly deformed state. The high-pitched sound echoed through the room. For a few seconds, nothing happened.

They came from every shadow, every darkened corner, and every accessible doorway. The frenzied shrieks of Splicers cut through the once-silent air like a knife. Em stared in horror. _This_ was what Allie had described; _this_ was the Splicer army.

"So, as my dear employer Sander Cohen informed you, you have no choice in the matter, doctor," the Splicer yelled over the screeches of his minions. "Just call me General," he sneered, revealing two savage rows of rotten, crooked teeth.

**Author's Note****: Reviews are always appreciated. I'd love to know your thoughts and opinions. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

_General? _The name was ironic in itself; the Splicer's army was preparing for a massacre, not a guns-and-bombs fight! Em silently thanked the doctor for managing to seal the rest of the kids in the Bathysphere. She knew that she was most likely going to die, but she wasn't going down without a fight.

It wasn't the first time she wished that Rescuing hadn't reversed her Splicing abilities. Electro-Bolt had never been the strongest or most effective Plasmid, but it was useful for stunning oncoming enemies.

She noticed Allie injecting herself with a red hypo; however she could not read the label.

As Em stood, facing the mass amount of Splicers with growing dread, she felt a cylindrical, slightly heavy object placed in her hand. Allie was standing beside her, and Em gave her a tiny nod in thanks, even though she thought that it would not work. She had lost her Splicing abilities, hadn't she? But Em decided that it was worth a shot. She hesitated no longer, and jammed the EVE hypo into her arm. She felt hardly any pain as the needle pierced her skin, sending the bluish liquid through her veins. Sparks shot from her fingertips, and an immeasurable amount of electric voltage erupted from her skin. It was then she realized…

Dr. Tenenbaum had been wrong. Rescuing had not reversed the fact that she had Spliced; it had only drained her EVE supply. For a brief second terror consumed her as she watched her horribly deformed enemies jeer and throw insults, awaiting the command to attack. Would she one day suffer the same ominous fate?

But the young girl decided that, no matter the future consequences, she had to use her Plasmid, and she had to use it precisely at that moment. Otherwise, she had zero chance of survival. Zero chance of being reunited with her parents. Zero chance of ever meeting the older sister the doctor had assured her that she had.

And so she stood in a defensive stance, her legs spread, her knees bent, and her arms close to her chest. Allie did the same, but Dr. Tenenbaum, noticing this, strode forward and stood in front of the two girls, her arms spread out protectively.

"Let us leave, Sander," she stated once more. Any respect or politeness the doctor had once had for the man had simply vanished.

"I'm the one in charge here, Brigid," croaked the Spider Splicer. "And it is my duty to ensure your presence in Rapture."

"I am sure that there is other ADAM elsewhere in this city. Ryan built this place with great size in mind. And besides, these children no longer Gather AD-," Dr. Tenenbaum snapped, but was abruptly cut off by the great artist himself.

"DO NOT SPEAK THAT NAME WITHIN THIS HALL!" Sander roared, his fists clenched. A vein bulged in his forehead. At this the doctor groaned.

"I am sorry doctor, but you and the lives of your clan of criminally abducted children are no longer necessary to this great society," General replied with a sickly smile. "And so, without further ado… _die_."

The Splicers took this as the signal to attack. They jumped from the balcony, some of them landing with a sickening crunch, their bones obviously broken, although they appeared to care less.

The Splicers circled around the three survivors, being careful not to come too close. The doctor had out her pistol and was firing as many rounds as possible, but it was not enough to wipe out the entire army. Allie was doing her best to light up as many Splicers as she could manage, while at the same time deflecting bullets with Telekinesis (which must have been the Plasmid she had injected), but most of them simply extinguished the flames and carried on. Em stunned quite a few, but Electro-Bolt could not kill by itself.

A hook whistled by Em, and she felt the blade graze her cheek. A moment later she felt the warm, wet blood trickle down the side of her face. She grinded her teeth, stifling the scream that came with the pain.

A screech came from Allie, and Em turned to see her clutching her wrist, her face contorted in pain. One of the Splicers' hooks had hit it in exactly the right place. Her Incinerate was no longer a help to them. To Em's relief, she could still use her other hand to block shots with Telekinesis.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? KILL THEM, YOU IDIOTS!" General roared. He was not visible over the looming crowd of Splicers. He was letting them do the work for him.

Em squeezed her eyes shut as the ruthlessly brutal zombie-like addicts closed in. A single tear slipped from beneath her eyelid.

_Today I am going to die. I will never meet my family or see the sun rise ever again. I will die in this slowly flooding city, as will my friends. I will become an Angel. Just like Mr. B. I hope you're waiting for me, Daddy, _she thought miserably.

It was at that particular moment that everything changed. Because someone appeared exactly when they were needed, someone Em thought she would never see again.

"STOP!" roared a voice. It was a familiar, nasally voice, one that Em remembered quite well.

At once, every single Splicer stopped. Each one was frozen in place, hardly daring to blink. Not a single one spoke. Then, slowly, very slowly, as if in a trance, they all turned to face the man on the balcony of Fleet Hall.

He was wearing the same white button-down shirt as before, although now it was smeared with blood. The cowlick over his right eye and his abnormally large nose categorized him instantly. In one hand he held a shotgun, which was pointed at the crowd threateningly. In the other was a gold genetic key card.

"Stanley!" Em cried, wiping the tear away. He nodded at her in a friendly way.

"Good to see you again, electric girl," he said calmly.

"We have a bit of a problem, Mr. Poole," Allie called up, still clutching her obviously broken wrist.

"Yeah, I can see that, fire girl," he snorted. "Just repaying my debts to you, doctor," he said to Dr. Tenenbaum. She smiled in appreciation.

"Thank-you, Stanley," she told him, sounding extremely relieved.

"No need. Just doing what's expected of me," Stanley responded.

Em was quite sure that no one had expected to meet Stanley Poole again, and although she had never exactly trusted the man who had flooded Dionysus Park, she was glad to see him. He appeared to be on their side.

"HEY!" he shouted to the Splicers, "I'M YOUR NEW BOSS, AND THOSE PEOPLE DOWN THERE, YOU CAN'T KILL 'EM!" The Splicers looked confused by this, as killing was something they specialized in, and their addled brains knew nothing else.

"But-but we have to, they have ADAM, and we need ADAM," murmured the General's dazed voice. Em wondered briefly what was keeping all the Splicers so calm. The answer was obvious. Allie had told her, not long ago.

_"Whoever owns that key controls the whole city!" _It was the genetic key; the very same one Andrew Ryan had used to send the Splicers after his son.

"Oh my God…" Em whispered. _Stanley Poole was in complete control of the entire Splicer army. _

"You don't need ADAM, "General"," Stanley sneered. His grip on the key card tightened, and Em could see beads of sweat pouring down his face. 

"Oh, but I do," the Spider Splicer sneered. He was the first one to break the trance.

"Although the thought of being an addict to a highly dangerous drug disgusts me, to say the least, I must agree with the moth-eater," Sander Cohen said in a perfectly-sane manner.

Stanley was out of ideas. The genetic key was not as effective in his grasp as it was in the hands of Andrew Ryan's blood relatives, and little by little he was losing control.

"What are you waiting for, moth-eater? You wanted the Gatherers; go get them!" Sander Cohen cried, pointing at Allie, Em, and the doctor. In an instant, General whirled around, facing the crazed man.

"DO NOT SPEAK TO ME IN THIS WAY, YOU COWARD!" he screeched, lashing out with his rusty metal hooks. One of them caught the man's throat, and he fell to the ground, convulsing and clutching the bleeding wound. "I GIVE THE ORDERS! ATTACK!" General howled, pointing the other hook at the two former Sisters and the doctor. Slowly, the Splicer army broke through the trance and turned towards Rapture's three survivors.

In vain, Stanley made one last attempt to secure control. He raised the key over his head.

"THEY DO NOT HAVE ADAM, YOU FOOLS! I DO!" he screamed. Em looked up at him in horror, while the rest of the army, under the influence of the genetic key once more, merely stared at him curiously.

"Stanley, no!" Em wailed. He turned towards Em somberly. His eyes were grave, but fear was faintly visible. He was shaking, but managed to keep going.

"They've been Rescued, children! You will not find ADAM with them, and so killing them will be a waste of energy. I am the one who has been hiding the ADAM from you!" Em frowned, wondering why Stanley would ever call the hideous, savage beasts "children". But it seemed to work.

"Get him! That loud man has the ADAM!" General ordered, still sounding dazed. The attention on Em, and Allie, and the doctor was lost as the Splicers closed in on Stanley, leaving Sander Cohen behind, who was still writhing on the ground, fighting for breath. However, the extreme dosage of ADAM in his system was quickly healing the near-fatal wound on his throat, and he was staggering to his feet. One hand covered his slashed throat, and was coated in sticky, red blood. He gave Em a satisfied smirk as he regained his stamina. Would the man _ever _die?

"GO!" Stanley screeched to the doctor over the massive hoard of Splicers, "GET OUT OF HERE!"

At once Brigid grabbed Em and Allie by their wrists. Allie was screaming in pain, tears gushing down her pale face. The doctor had evidently taken her bad wrist. But Dr. Tenenbaum did not stop until they were at the Bathysphere, where she was finally able to pry the door open and yank herself and the two remaining girls inside.

"What happened?"

"Are we going Topside yet?"

"Are you okay?" the doctor was bombarded with questions as she shoved the children in the Bathysphere to the side.

"Sorry little ones, not now!" she said in a strained voice. A lever was situated in the back of the Bathysphere, and Dr. Tenenbaum did not hesitate to pull it.

The whole Bathysphere began to vibrate, the faint lights flickering overhead. Em fell backwards with a jolt on one of the plush seats, as did most of the others. Somehow, Allie managed to push her way over to Em and collapse onto the seat next to her.

She cradled her wrist in one hand, tears streaming down her pale face. Her entire hand was swollen and inflamed. She coughed and sputtered, choking on her tears.

"Allie, it's going to be okay, I promise!" Em reassured the sobbing girl, "Look, we're going Topside! We'll never have to see Rapture again!" But Allie hardly listened, and just sat rocking herself back and forth, whimpering.

Em turned towards one of the windows. She could see that the Bathysphere was slowly rising, gaining speed as it climbed. It was not long before they were out of the Splicers' reach.

The General's entire army had surrounded the balcony. Spider Splicers scaled the walls, while Brute Splicers tore up the staircase in an attempt to reach Stanley Poole. Other Splicer varieties followed the Brutes or attempted to climb the handrails, which led to disastrous consequences. They were practically committing suicide.

As the Splicers loomed over Stanley it became difficult to see him. As he disappeared beneath the murderous beasts, Em saw his arm fling up in the air, waving a desperate goodbye. The young girl gently placed one hand on the window as the Bathysphere rose past Fleet Hall, and she saw no more.

"Thank-you, Mr. Poole," she whispered.

**Author's Note:**** Please review! **


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

The Bathysphere accelerated upwards with frightening speed; the whole container vibrating and whirring. Every so often the dim overhead lights would flick off for a moment, only to turn back on seconds later.

Em clutched the seat cushion, her face pale and her palms sweaty. She glanced over at Allie, who was being bounced and thrown with every jolt, unable to hold on due to her broken wrist. Em reached over and gently took the older girl's arm to steady her.

Allie was a wreck as it was, and did not appear to notice Em squeezing her arm. Her wrist was even more swollen then before, and it would obviously need medical attention.

_Or maybe not… _Em thought. She let go of her panicked friend and reached across towards a bag of supplies. She kept one hand on the edge of her seat so that she would not be flung across the Bathysphere the next time it gave another jolt.

Strangely enough, not a single former Sister questioned her actions. Many of them were frozen in place, paralyzed with fear. A few of the braver ones were crowded around the windows, even though there was hardly anything to see yet. The Bathysphere still had not ascended from the transport tube, so any view to the outside ocean was obscured.

Em found one of the bags that she needed, and quickly unzipped it, sifting through its contents. To her relief, it was filled to the brim with First-Aid kits. She picked one out and closed the bag. Em carefully cradled the kit in one arm, using the other to clamber back onto the cushioned seat.

Allie was almost perfectly silent. She had ceased sobbing and rocking herself, and was curled up on the seat, her forehead pressing up against her knees. Em felt a lump in her throat. She hated to see her friend like this.

She reached towards Allie tentatively, gently putting her hand on her shoulder. This time, the ten-year old reacted. She gently raised her head as her bangs fell in front of her face, which was blotchy and red from crying. Her eyes were blank, and she appeared to see right through Em.

"Hey," Em whispered, "It's going to be okay. I can help you," she held up the First-Aid kit for Allie to see. The other girl slowly nodded as she extended her swollen wrist. Em bit her lip. She had never used a First-Aid kit before, and she had no idea how it was done. She glanced over at Dr. Tenenbaum, who was still near the lever. She was talking quickly and nervously into the radio, and it appeared to be responding in a static-toned voice. She would be of no help.

Em held the kit close to her face. It was secured with two metal latches on one side, which were easy enough to undo. She lifted the lid to find a hypo inside, not unlike the ones that contained EVE. She lifted it from the case gently. It was slightly weighted and felt cool in her hand. Taking another look inside the kit, she found medical gauze and a few pills.

"What should I use?" Em asked. Through gritted teeth, Allie responded,

"The hypo." Em frowned. She had never used one on someone else, but she knew that now she had no choice. She was vaguely aware of all the other girls watching her.

"Can you do it yourself?" Em asked. She did not want to hurt her friend further. But Allie shook her head wildly, and it was obvious from the uncontrollable shaking coursing through her body that she would never be able to inject herself with anything. Em knew that she would have to be the one to do it. Taking a deep breath, she took Allie's wrist in her hand. At this, the older girl moaned, a tear trickling down her cheek.

"Did I hurt you?" Em asked, alarmed. Allie shook her head.

"Just do it!" she whimpered. Em nodded. Looking closely at Allie's wrist, she was just able to see one of her veins beneath the swelling. She aimed the needle just above it, and jammed it into the older girl's wrist. Allie screamed. Em pushed the top of the needle, letting the healing solution flow into the vein. When the entire hypo was empty, she yanked it out of her friend's arm.

"Oh God, oh God…" Allie moaned, clutching her wrist in one hand. The First-Aid kit acted almost instantaneously. The girl's wrist flexed involuntarily, and a subtle _CRACK_ was heard as the bone repositioned itself correctly.

At first, Allie was unable to say anything. She sat in the same position as before, still holding her wrist. She was hyperventilating, but was oblivious to it, and was still gaping at her hand, open-mouthed. Finally, she was able to whisper,

"Thank-you," Em nodded, finally able to relax. She turned towards the Bathysphere window just in time to see it shoot out of the transport tube and into the ocean. What she saw filled her with wonder.

Rapture was below her, and she was gaining distance from it. Massive skyscrapers still illuminated the water around it, some hundreds of stories tall. She pressed both palms against the window as the Bathysphere filled with excited murmurs from the others.

"Allie, look!" Em cried, pointing towards Rapture. The ten-year old climbed down from her seat slowly and made her way over to the window. She looked down at the city, unable to say a word. The two girls stared down for what seemed like a lifetime as memories flooded their minds.

"We left, Em," Allie rasped. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. Em remembered that Allie had lived in Rapture almost her entire life, so leaving was both surprising and traumatizing. Allie was leaving her only home, and was going to need more than simple support to help her to move on. But she would never forget. No one would.

As the lights of the city became dimmer and the skyscrapers became smaller, Em closed her eyes, lost in thought. She pressed her forehead up against the glass.

"Good-bye, Mr. B.," she whispered as the Bathysphere broke the surface. The whole container gave a massive lurch, making Em fall to her knees. As she picked herself up, only one thought came to mind.

_We made it. _

**Author's Note:**** Please review! **


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Never had she seen anything so beautiful. A glowing orb was rising slowly above the tossing waves, spreading golden light and turning the puffy white clouds shades of pink, red, and purple. It was reflected in the water below in a striking way that made her simply stand there and stare in awe, her mouth agape. As she watched out the large window, a flock of seabirds dove from the sky and settled in the tossing waves. She found that all she was able to do was focus on it. It had been so long since she had seen a proper sunrise, and the sight was literally breathtaking. She pressed one palm against the cool glass, her heart thudding. A small part if her thought that it must have been a dream, but the colors were too vivid and the experience was too thrilling for that to be true.

"We made it," whispered the awed voice of the woman behind her, and Em turned to see Dr. Tenenbaum gazing out at the sea in disbelief. She too was mesmerized by the sight that greeted them. For a while, none of the girls said a word as the waves splashed against the Bathysphere.

But the silence was ended abruptly as the doctor pulled out her radio and began to speak.

"We're Topside. Same coordinates as I hypothesized," she spoke into the device. A moment later, a reply came through.

"Right, got it. I see you, doctor. Won't be long," said the static-filled, heavily accented female voice. Em looked back at the doctor, wondering who she could possibly be conversing with. It wasn't long before she found out.

A loud _THUD_ echoed from the top of the Bathysphere, and several of the girls cried out. Like Em, they too thought that they were under attack from Splicers, although this was obviously not the case. A cranking sound was heard, and upon looking out the window, Em could see that the entire Bathysphere was being lifted up and out of the water. Moments later, the container was swung over the side of a _boat_ (this time, the knowledge of this once-foreign word was easy for Em to apply, and she remembered seeing pictures of these _boats_ in story books). It was lowered slowly and carefully onto the deck, and landed with a gentle _thump_.

"Girls!" the doctor called in an attempt to gain their attention. At once, seventeen heads turned around quickly to face Brigid. She cleared her throat and continued, "Everything is fine. We are safe now. These people aboard this ship are here to help us. Just stay calm and be respectful of them, and you can each be reunited with your families soon." Murmurs of excitement spread through the group, save for Allie, who stood in silence.

"Allie, what's wrong? Don't you want to go home?" Em asked. The older girl just shook her head. For a moment she seemed to lose focus both on Em and her surroundings. After what seemed like a lifetime, she cleared her throat, which was still hoarse from crying, and replied,

"I don't want to go _home_ Em. My home has always been with Dr. Tenenbaum, and besides, she was never able to find my records to begin with. I don't even know my last name. I couldn't go back even if I wanted to."

"Oh," Em whispered, feeling her face flush bright red. She had never taken Allie's name into consideration, and the realization that she had asked a very personal question did nothing to decrease her embarrassment.

"S'okay. You didn't know; no one does. Besides, if I went home, we'd probably never see each other again, would we?" Allie said, giving the five-year old a forced smile.

_Oh. Oh God. _Allie was right. The prospect of leaving her only friend was akin to losing Mr. B. all over again. And the most terrifying part was that Allie was undeniably correct. The two girls would more than likely be forced to part ways, and after that they would never hear from each other again. It would be like Rapture never happened. Except that it had.

"Allie, Allie no! We-we can't, I-I can't go without you, you're my only friend!" Em wailed, flinging herself into the older girl's arms. If she lost Allie, then who else would ever understand what had happened beneath the Atlantic Ocean? No one would. For Em, this kind of loneliness would be like what she felt after her Daddy died, before Dr. Tenenbaum had Rescued her.

As Allie pulled the younger girl closer, she gently fixed her crooked hair ribbon.

"I'm sure everything will turn out well. Dr. Tenenbaum will make sure of that," Allie told Em. But her manner of speaking was robotic and with little emotion, and her words did nothing to soothe the distress Em was feeling.

…

The door of the Bathysphere opened with a hiss, and the morning sun streamed through the opening, illuminating each child in the soft yellow light. Em was practically trampled by the others as they pushed past her and Allie and out onto the boat. She was the last to exit before Dr. Tenenbaum, squinting as light blinded her. The brightness would be something she would have to become accustomed to.

Upon stepping out of the Bathysphere, she was surprised to find that Topside was exactly as she had remembered and imagined. For once in Em's short life, everything was falling into place. As she stood admiring the open ocean, the doctor brushed past her and rushed up to a young woman who was helping to control the other former Sisters, who were running back and forth across the deck of the large boat.

"Thank-you, Eleanor. Your assistance is appreciated," Brigid said to her. The lady appeared to be in her early twenties, with short brown hair and brown eyes.

_Could it be…? _Em's eyes widened. _Is she really… Eleanor Lamb? _

"Anything to help, doctor. Is that the last of them?" the woman asked.

"Yes, I have checked multiple times. There are no more innocents in Rapture," Dr. Tenenbaum replied. She spoke with absolute certainty, and Em knew that her words were true.

"Good," Eleanor sighed, her shoulders relaxing, "If Mother knew what I was doing, I'm not sure what would happen. She's been quite distressed lately." Brigid frowned.

"She hasn't given up yet?" At this, Eleanor snorted in amusement.

"The great Sofia Lamb? Give up? Ha, no, Mother is as stubborn as she has always been. She hardly wants me around anymore," Eleanor muttered. Brigid placed a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"I'm sorry. Is this what you think he would've wanted?" she murmured softly. Eleanor flinched, turning away.

"_This_ is what Father wanted. For me to help you," she whispered, turning to the group. Most of the former Sisters were watching the two women curiously, as they had no idea what was going on.

Em pushed through the others to Eleanor, looking up at her with wide eyes.

"You're Eleanor _Lamb_?" she gasped. "I thought Sofia Lamb died?" But Eleanor only smiled faintly.

"Yes, I am Eleanor, and no, my mother is not dead. I decided to give her a second chance, but God knows what she'll do with it… What is your name, little one?"

"Emily. My name is Emily," she whispered.

"Don't worry Emily. We'll get you and your friends home," Eleanor assured her.

"I-I don't want to…" Em said under her breath, but Eleanor and the doctor had already turned away and were walking in the other direction. Em turned back towards the others, who all looked very confused.

"Now what?" Clara asked. Em did not have an answer for her.

It took a while for the boat to reach the shore, and Em lost track of the time as she sat by the edge, staring into the sea. Allie sat with her, but neither of the two girls said a word. There was nothing left to say. Em let the boat gently rock her to sleep.

When she awoke, the sky had darkened considerably, and, for the first time in a long time, she saw the moon and stars light up the night sky. The sight hardly impressed her, as Em was more frightened of leaving her friend. As she stared up at the sky, someone gently put a hand on her shoulder. Em let out a yelp and whirled around.

"So sorry!" whispered the apologetic voice of Eleanor Lamb. "We've arrived at our destination. Time to go home!"

"Oh," Em muttered, slowly getting to her feet and following the woman inside the ship. For the first time, Em wished she was back in Rapture. She had never thought that she would ever feel this way.

**Author's Note****: You should leave a review. **


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six **

Despite her obvious dislike of the situation, Em was able to listen at least half-heartedly to the doctor's words. Eleanor had led her inside the boat, where all the former Sisters, including Allie, were congregated. Em had pushed through the crowd of children whispering excitedly amongst themselves to find her friend. Upon spotting her, Allie brightened instantly.

"There you are! I thought you'd come in with the rest of us. It's a good thing Dr. Tenenbaum noticed you were missing," Allie said enthusiastically. She appeared to disregard the upcoming parting that all the girls would have with one another. She seemed relatively happy. That or she was a very good actor. Em shrugged.

"With all the excitement, it's not hard to get lost," she replied. Allie shook her head.

"It's my fault, and I'm sorry. For a second I thought you'd been fed to the sharks!" Allie joked.

"I think we all know that there are more dangerous things in the sea then sharks," Em muttered softly enough so that Allie did not hear. She pretended to observe a painting on the wall as the doctor made her way to the front of the group.

"Girls, I have wonderful news," the doctor began, which instantly silenced the entire room. "We have reached the coast. Eleanor and I have contacted some old friends to help us out in returning you to your families." The cheering was overwhelming, and Em found herself wanting to leave as soon as possible. She gritted her teeth in annoyance.

"Em, what's wrong?" Allie asked, noting her friend's sulky mood. The five-year old took a while to answer, and when she finally did, she felt as though she was already in tears.

"I don't want to go home. I'll miss you," she whispered. Allie gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I know. I don't want to go either, and I don't want to leave you. But at the same time I'm kind of curious. Dr. Tenenbaum said that she found my records while packing up, so I'll get to meet my family."

_Oh. She's not sad at all, _Em realized. Allie had a family to go to, one she had never seen before. Her emotional five-year old friend would mean nothing after they would say good-bye. This betrayal did not hurt as much as Em had anticipated, as she remembered that there was a family and a future waiting for her too. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Em turned her attention back towards the doctor.

"Most of you live somewhere along the eastern coast of America, which is where we are now. Some of you live in different countries, but that has been taken care of." The doctor assured the group.

"What's she talking about?" Em whispered to Allie.

"Shh!" Clara hissed from the other side of the ten-year old. "You'll find out soon," she added in a softer tone. Em snorted. She had no idea what a "country" was, or how it applied to the situation at all. It hardly mattered to her.

"I just want you children to know that I will miss all of you. Thank-you for your cooperation. You are free now. You are no longer prisoners of Rapture. Go home, little ones," the doctor said, unable to keep the emotion from her voice.

When the girls were finally led off the ship, the sun was rising once more. They had been Topside for a whole day. Taking her first step off the ship and onto the dock, Em was surprised by how peaceful it was. They had landed in a quiet sort of place, and there were small shops lining a gravel road near the dock, but none of them appeared to be open.

"Where is everybody?" Em asked Dr. Tenenbaum, who was walking beside her.

"We've landed in a private dock. There's not much commotion here. We don't want to start a ruckus," the doctor replied. She stopped abruptly when she spotted a small group of about six people ahead of them, but relaxed when they came into view. She strode up to them, followed closely by Eleanor and the seventeen former Sisters. She began to discuss something with them, but was talking too softly for Em to hear. In one hand she held a thick binder, presumably filled with the girls' records. The group contained one man, who was wearing a tan sweater and had brown hair. His appearance was vaguely familiar, as if she had heard of him before. One thing came to mind whenever she glanced in his direction: _the parasite._ However, she quickly dismissed the thought. Surrounding him were five young women, each expressing determined looks on their faces.

Midway through the conversation, the doctor turned towards the girls, many of whom were fidgeting nervously.

"Now is the time for you to say good-bye to each other, little ones," she called towards them. Em felt a lump in her throat. She had dreaded this moment, and now that it was finally here, it all seemed so unreal. She searched through the crowd until she found Allie, who was with Clara and Lila.

"I guess this is good-bye then," she whispered to her friends. They all nodded, tears in their eyes. Lila stepped forward.

"Thank-you Allie and Em," she said, "I heard about how you guys broke the rules to Rescue me. I'll never forget you." Em nodded, too broken up to say anything in return.

"Aw, it was nothing," Allie joked, although her heart wasn't in it.

"Bye Allie. You were a great Leader," Clara said, stepping forward to wrap Allie in a tight hug. Allie only smiled in return. "Stay out of trouble, Em," she added, giving Em a grin.

"I'll try," she whispered. Good-bye."

"Clara, Lila! Come here!" the doctor called. The two kids turned to wave as they made their way through the others. One-by-one, each girl was called, until only Em, Brigid and Allie remained. The man, Eleanor and the five women had already left, and had taken different groups of girls with them to varying locations. Before taking the girls anywhere, the doctor helped them drain their EVE supply, stating that they would no longer need Plasmids where they were going.

"You two will come with me," Tenenbaum instructed as she led them to a strange-looking machine. The two girls exchanged weak smiles with each other. They would not have to leave each other as soon as they had thought.

"Is that a-" Em began, but the doctor was quick to interrupt.

"It is a car," she said. _I was right, _she thought proudly to herself. Brigid opened the door and helped the two girls inside. Em could not help but think of how much it reminded her of the Bathysphere.

They rode in silence for a few hours. Em didn't have the heart to talk, and Allie showed no interest in doing so. Instead she watched out the window as the world flew past her. She saw things that she hadn't seen in a long time, and the whole experience was thrilling.

Allie was sitting beside Em, staring out her window with wide eyes. She had never seen anything like this before, and everything was new to her. Em felt a knot of worry inside her as she realized how hard it would be for Allie to adjust to life on the surface.

When the car finally pulled to a halt, they were sitting on the side of a road that went through a residential area. In front of them was a small, ordinary-looking house that looked much the same as the others around it. It was a two-story home that was a light tan color with brown shutters, and nothing about it stood out.

The doctor turned around to face the backseat.

"This is our stop girls," she announced. "You can get out now." Both Em and Allie looked at each with confused looks on their faces, but they obeyed the doctor and promptly exited the vehicle. The doctor led them up the driveway and to the front stoop. She rang the doorbell. A moment later, a woman answered the door.

"Hello, can I help you?" she asked. She was wearing a short dress and had curly brown hair and dark brown eyes. Em felt her heart pounding in her chest.

"Hello. You are Mrs. Evelyn Brimfield, correct?" Brigid asked.

_Could it be…? _

"Yes, I am," she answered, looking confused.

_Is she really…?_

"Then I suppose you are who I am looking for. I received information that you and your husband lost two daughters; one more than nine years ago, and the other just last year," she responded.

_Wait a minute…_

"What do you want?" the lady asked, her eyes narrowed. The doctor gently placed both hands on Allie and Em's shoulders.

"They have been found," Brigid said simply. For a moment, Evelyn was completely silent. Slowly, she put one hand over her mouth. Em figured that she must have been a horrifying sight: torn, dirty clothing, the gash on her cheek from the Splicer's hook, and her much too - skinny frame must have looked rather shocking.

It was then that Em recognized the woman.

"Mom!" she cried, leaping forward into her mother's arms.

"Emily." Her mother whispered, wrapping her arms around her daughter, unable to say anything else.

At that moment, Emily Brimfield felt as if she was the luckiest girl in the entire world. She was crying and laughing at the same time as her mother ran her fingers through her tangled ponytail.

"Oh thank God," Evelyn whispered. She stood up, finally turning her attention towards Allie. "Did you say that _they_ had been found?" she asked the doctor. Brigid nodded.

"W-wait. What's going on?" Allie asked; her blue eyes wide.

"I told you that I found your records, didn't I? They were with Emily's. At first I wasn't sure why, but a closer examination served as a reasonable explanation," Tenenbaum explained, as though the answer was obvious. "Thank-you for your help, but it is time for you to go home too, Alexandra Brimfield." Allie turned back towards Evelyn, who looked just as shocked. Em felt the world spin around her. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

"The-the police closed the case long ago, they had no-no leads. We-we thought that it was… the end. Are-are you really…?" Mrs. Brimfield asked in an excited whisper. Allie's face broke into a wide smile. How could she not, when she had finally found her mother and the sister she had had all along?

"Mom?" she whimpered.

"Eric!" the woman called into the house, "Come here now!" A few moments later, a man with black hair and blue eyes appeared at the door. He was quite familiar to Em as well. When he saw the two girls, he simply stood there, his mouth agape. After a few seconds, he recovered from the initial shock and gave the two former Little Sisters a warm smile. Em recognized him almost as quickly as she had her mother.

"We were wondering when you two were going to show up," he said, bending down and opening up his arms.

_His eyes are blue. Just like mine and Allie's, _Em thought. After all she had been through, she was finally home. She had a mother, a father (who was not made of scrap metal), and real big sister. Tears began to form in her eyes, but for the first time, not out of sadness.

"Daddy!" both girls chorused.

**Author's Note:**** Epilogue coming next! Please review! **


	27. Epilogue

**Epilogue-Ten Years Later**

The playground was deserted, as it should have been at eleven o'clock on a Monday morning. The girl coasted down the sidewalk and parked her bike in the grass. She hopped off and tossed her backpack on the ground beside it. Giving a tired sigh, she walked over to the swing set.

"Stupid exams," she muttered to herself as she sat down. "Least I get out early," she added. She stretched her legs and began to swing.

Her long brown hair blew around her, and after a few seconds she had settled into a steady rhythm. She always came to the park after school; her father had never put up a swing set of any kind at her house, although she always wished that he had.

After a while she became bored, and took a flying leap from the swing and landed in the grass. She casually picked herself up and walked over to her backpack. She pulled out a drawing pad and a pencil. Upon returning to the swing, she sat down once more, but this time opened the drawing pad to a blank sheet of paper.

Lately, an idea had been coming to her. At first it had seemed like a brilliant product of her imagination, but now it seemed more like a memory. She wasn't quite sure why, but the image of a humanoid creature in a bulky diving suit kept popping up in the back of her mind, interrupting her train of thought, and, on some occasions, causing her to be late to class. It seemed so real, complete with glowing eye-like portals, an oxygen tank, and obnoxiously large boots. It was also frightening to think that her mind could produce something so scary.

She had considered asking her sister, Alexandra, but she had been busy with college lately, and had little time to contemplate such problems. Besides, it was her issue anyway, and she was going to solve it in the only way she knew how: by drawing it.

She considered herself to be an okay artist, but everyone around her saw her as some sort of prodigy. Mostly she drew things such as animals or simple architecture, but on occasion she found herself drawing an elegant city with magnificent skyscrapers. No matter how many times she tried to sketch in a sun, it never seemed to fit. Another questionable "memory."

She'd been having quite a few of these "memories" lately, and she was not sure where they were coming from. Her parents had told her that as a child she and her sister had been abducted and later returned by a mysterious woman who had left almost as soon as she had arrived.

"We are forever in her debt," her mother said often enough. Could these memories be derived from this circumstance? The girl remembered nothing of this event, since at the time she had been only five years old. Now, ten years later, she was an ordinary teenager finishing up her freshman year of high school. She remembered nothing of her abduction.

Her sister however, obviously remembered, and because of it, remained shy and introverted. Her parents had homeschooled Alexandra her whole schooling career, mostly because she was so behind. She was frightened of others as well, for reasons unknown. She never talked about it, but sometimes odd things seemed to pain her, such as shots.

She, however, had been almost completely opposite. She was the most advanced in her grade, and found school to be absurdly simple and easy. She had plenty of friends and got along well with others. Her sister was unique in her own way.

_I'll ask her what she remembers. If she talks about it, maybe I can solve this puzzle, _the girl decided. _In the meantime, I'll try to draw this thing. Maybe Alexandra can tell me what it is._

She smoothed out her paper and pushed a strand of long brown hair behind her ear. Just as she was lowering her pencil, she heard a voice beside her.

"Emily." The girl turned to her left to see an older woman standing there. She wore a long skirt and blouse, and had curly dark hair. She spoke with a thick German accent that was both strikingly familiar and comforting.

"Who are you and how do you know who I am?" Emily asked. The woman gave a faint smile. She held out her hand.

"My name is Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum," she said calmly. Emily shook her hand.

"Uh… nice to meet you," she replied.

"Oh, I believe we already know each other, although it has been quite some time," the woman said. Emily frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked cautiously. She could have sworn that she had never seen this Dr. Tenenbaum before, but she had the same blind familiarity as the man in the diving suit and the city without a sun.

"What are you drawing?" the woman continued, as though Emily had never spoken.

"Oh, um, it's a stupid idea, but…" she trailed off, biting her lip. There was only one other person she was willing to share her idea with, and that was her older sister.

"I'm sure it's anything but stupid," the woman assured her.

"Look, who are you?" Emily asked. The woman gave a sad sigh.

"So much as changed in ten years, little one," Dr. Tenenbaum replied in a nostalgic tone. "You've grown so much." This time, Emily was almost certain that she saw tears in the woman's eyes. It was then that she remembered-

_I was abducted ten years ago! Does this lady have something to do with that? Oh no… Or-or maybe… she's the strange woman who took me home, _Emily thought wildly. The moment she realized it, she knew it was true. The woman who had taken her back to her parents was Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum.

"Wait-you-you're the one that saved me and my sister, aren't you?" the lady did not reply, but smiled in return.

"Will you tell me what you are planning to draw?" she asked.

_Maybe she can help me rearrange my scattered memories. Maybe she knows what I see! _Emily thought.

"It-it's a person, in a big diving suit! Oh-oh and he has a little girl with him, and they're in a city, but there's no sun, and I don't know where this place is, but, do you know?" Emily asked breathlessly. The woman smiled once more.

"I think, that if you draw what you see, you will remember," Dr. Tenenbaum said.

"Okay, thank-you!" Emily said. Lowering her pencil once more, she began to draw. She paused a moment, and when she looked up, Dr. Tenenbaum was gone. She frowned. Had the whole thing been her imagination? She hoped not. She looked back down and continued to draw.

As she did so, a strange song popped into her head. She had no idea where it came from, but since there was no one else around, she felt the need to sing it. "Mr. Bubbles, Mr. Bubbles, are you there? Are you there…?"

And she remembered.

**The End**


	28. Afterword

**Afterword – By NJL97**

_The End._

Two simple, yet powerful words that can mark the finish point to just about anything. In this case, this overused phrase belongs to my very first FanFiction, "Alone Under the Sea". After six rather short months, it is finally finished. Em and Allie's journey has come to an end, and I can safely say that I have considered it a success. Part of me wants to jump up and down and scream in ecstasy, while the other part wants to curl up in a corner and cry.

Thank-you. I really mean it. Everyone who has followed, favorited, and especially reviewed my work deserves a million bucks (not that I have a million bucks to give). Even if all you have done is read it, you have still helped me. So thanks.

I am sure that you have some questions, which I will do my best to answer. If I missed something, simply leave a review and I will send you a PM. So here it goes:

**FAQs**

Ok, what is the relationship between Allie and Em?!

They are best friends and they later find out that they are sisters.

What happened to Dr. Tenenbaum after she took the girls home?!

That's up to you. Use your imagination.

Did Em really forget about Rapture? I thought you said that she'd always remember!

She pushed it to the back of her mind to help her adjust. She does eventually remember.

What exactly happened to Allie?

She was stolen as a young child four years before Em was born. Her bond was also defective, and she never had the "Sister Sight". She was the oldest child in the Orphanage, the self-proclaimed "leader".

When exactly did this story take place?

A few years after BioShock 2, so roughly 1971-ish.

Did Stanley Poole really die?

Yep.

Did Sander Cohen die?

How could I kill HIM off? He's one of the best characters!

Okay, the guy and five women in the last chapter… were they who I think they were?

Oh yes.

What about Em's Splicing?

She drained her EVE supply. That is all.

Why didn't you tie BioShock Infinite in with the story?

As of updating this for the last time, I still have not finished playing BioShock Infinite.

Are you going to write more FanFiction?

Nope. I'm going to write my own book. (CAMP NANOWRIMO, YOU GUYS!)

WHY?!

Because I want to.

I want to know more about you.

…Check out my profile.

Like I stated previously, if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to leave a review. I will be happy to answer any of your questions, and will do so as soon as I can.

Better yet, tell me your thoughts on this. I'd like to know how I can improve my writing style.

Posting for this site has taught me a lot about writing. It was a great opportunity. Long live FanFiction!

_The End. _

-NJL97


End file.
